THE
PINK FAIRY BOOK
THE FAIRY BOOK SERIES
EDITED BY ANDREW LANG
Orown 8i;o. 5s net each
THE BLUE PAIEY BOOK. With 13S Illustrations.
THE BED EAIRY BOOK. With 100 Illustration.s.
THE GBEEN FAIRY BOOK. With 09 Illustrations.
THE GREY FAIRY BOOK. With 65 Illustrations.
THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK. With 104 Illustrations.
THE PINK FAIRY BOOK. With 67 Illustrations.
THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and
6i other Illustrations.
THE CRIMSON FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates
and IS other Illustrations.
THE BROWN FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and
42 other Illustrations.
THE OLIVE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and
43 other Illustrations.
THE ORANGE FAIRY BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates
and 50 other Illustrations
THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK. With 6 Coloured Plates and
46 other Illustrations.
THE BLUE POETRY BOOK. Witli KX) Illustrations.
THE TRUE STORY BOOK. With 66 lllustratiouH.
THE RED TRUE STORY BOOK. Witli 100 lUuatrations.
THE ANIMAL STORY BOOK. With 67 lilustrationH.
THE RED BOOK OF ANIMAL STORIES. With 65 Illus-
trations.
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. With
66 IliustratiODS.
THE BOOK OF ROMANCE. With 8 Coloured Plates and
44 other Illustrations.
THE RED ROMANCE BOOK. With 8 Coloured Plates and
44 Other Illustrations.
THE BOOK OF PRINCES AND PRINCESSES. By Mrs.
Lang. With 8 Ooloured Plates and 43 other Illustrations.
THE RED BOOK OF HEROES. By Mrs. Laho. With 8
Coloured Plates and 40 other Illustrations.
THE ALL SORTS OF STORIES BOOK. By Mrs. Lano.
With 6 Ooloured Plates and 48 other Illustrations
THE STRANGE STORY BOOK. By Mrs. Um. With a
Portrait of Andrew Lang as Frontispiece, 12 Ooloured Plates, and
18 other Illustrations.
THE BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROES. By Mrs. Lano.
With 12 Ooloured Plates and 18 other Illustrations.
TALES OF TROY AND GREECE. By Andrew Lang. With
17 Illustrations by H, J. FuEP, and a Map. Orown 8vo. 68 net.
Tm mxDm
coAtp m nm fo rm mm
THE
Pink Fairy Book
EDITED BY
ANDREW LANG
LONDON • NEW YORK • TORONTO
11931
LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. LTD.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, K.C.4
6 OLD COURT HOUSE STREET, CALCUTTA
53 NICOL ROAD, BOMBAY
36A MOUNT ROAD, MADRAS
LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.
55 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK
221 EAST 20 TH STREET, CHICAGO
TREMONT STREET, BOSTON
128-132 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, TORONTO
Made in Great Britain,
AH rights reserved.
PREFA CE
All people in the world tell nursery tales to their
children. The Japanese tell them, the Chinese, the
Eed Indians by their camp- fires; the Eskimo in their
dark dirty winter huts. The Kaffirs of South Africa
tell them, and the modern Greeks, just as the old
did, when Moses had not been many
years rescued out of the bulrushes. The Germans,
French, Spanish, Italians, Danes, Highlanders tell
them also, and the stories are apt to be like each
other everywhere. A child who has read the Blue
and Ked and Yellow Fairy Books will find some old
friends with new faces in the Pink T’airy Book, if
he examines and compares. But the Japanese tales
will probably be new to the young student ; the
Tanuki is a creature whose acquaintance he may not
have made before. He may remark that Andersen
wants to ‘point a moral,’ as* well as to ‘adorn a
tale ; that he is trying to make fun of the follies of
mankind, as they exist in civilised countries. The
Danish story of ‘ The Princess in the Chest ’ need
not be read to a very nervous child, as it rather
viii
PREFACE
borders on a ghost story. . It has been altered, and
is really much more horrid in the language of the
Danes, who, as history tells us, were not a nervous
or timid people. I am quite sure that this story
is not true. The other Danish and Swedish stories
are not alarming. They are translated by Mr. W.
A. Craigie. Those from the Sicilian (through the
German) are translated, like the African tales (through
the French) and the Catalan tales, and the Japanese
stories (the latter through the German), and an old
French story, by Mrs. Lang. Miss Alma Alleyne did
the stories from Andersen, out of the German. Mr.
Ford, as usual, has drawn the monsters and mermaids,
the princes and giants, and the beautiful princesses,
who, the Editor thinks, are, if possible, prettier
than ever. Here, then, are fancies brought from all
quarters; we see that black, white, and yellow
peoples are fond of just the same kinds of adventures.
Courage, youth, beauty, kindness, have many trials,
but they always win the battle; while witches,
giants, unfriendly cruel people, are on the losing
hand. So it ought to be, and so, on the whole, it is
and will be ; and that is all the moral of fairy tales.
We cannot all be young, alas! and pretty, and
strong; but nothing prevents us from being kind,
and no kind man, woman, or beast or bird, ever
comes to anything buj good in these oldest fables of
the world. So far all the tales are true, and no f urtb er .
CONTENTS
'tThe Gat's Elopement.
Eoio the Dragon teas
Tricked , . . .
The Oohlin and the Grocer
pie House in the Wood .
'^'^Vrascliimataro and the
Turtle ....
^ The Slaying of the Tanuki
The Fly mg Trunk . .
' ' The Snow Man .
- The Shirt^Collar . . ,
. The Princess in the Chest .
The Three Brothers . .
. The Snow-queen
The Fir-Tree . . .
Hans^ the Mermaid's Son .
Peter Bull . , , ,
. The Bird ^ Grip' . . ,
Snowflake ....
I know what I have learned
The Cunning Shoe?naker ,
The King who would have
a Beautiful Wife .
Catherine and Jwr Destiny
1 : How the Hermit helped to
i win the King's Daughter 174
0 j The Wafer of Life , . , 184
12 I The Wou7ided Lion . * 191
18 I The Ma7i without a Heart, 200
I The Two Brothers . . 209
I Master and Pupil . . , 220
33 The Golden Lion . , 223
40 The Sqyrig of Eoscfnary . 230
47 The mdle Dove . * 23H
f54 The Troll's Daughter . . 247
57 Eshen and the Witch . 258
73 Princess Minon-Miiutic * , 274
Maiden Brlght-eye . , 280
102 The Merry Wives . * . 207
112 Kijig Lindorfn . . . 301
120 The Jackal^ the Dove^ and
132 the Panther . . . ai5
143 the LiUle Hare . . 321
148 '^he Sparrow with the Slit
154 Tongm . . . . 334
" The Story of Ciccu . . 339
162 I Doti Giovanni de la For-
167 I tuna . * , • . 366
THE CAT'S ELOPEMENT-
Once upon a time there lived a cat of marvellous beauty,
with a skin as soft and shining as silk, and wise green
eyes, tjiat could sec even in the dark. His name was
Gon, and he belonged to a music teacher, who was so
fond and proud of him that he would not have parted
with him for anything in the world.
Now not far from the music master’s house there
dwelt a lady who possessed a most lovely little pussy eai,
called Koma. She was such a little dear altogether, and
blinked her eyes so daintily, and ate her supper so tidily,
and when she had finished she licked her pink nose so
delicately with her little tongue, that her mistress was
never tired of saying, ‘ Koma, Koma, what should I do
without you ? ’
Well, it happened one day that these two, wlien otit
for an evening stroll, met under a cherry tree, and in one
moment fell madly in love with each other. Gon had
long felt that it was time for him to find a wife, for all
the ladies in the neighbourhood paid him so much
attention that it made him quite shy ; but ho was not
easy to please, and did not caro*about any of them.
Now, before he had time to think, Cupid had entangled
him in his net, and he was filled with love towards
Koma. She fully returned his passion, but, like a woman,
she saw the difficulties in the way, and consulted sadly
' From the Japanuche M&rchm md Sagen, von David Bramw
(Leipzig : Wilhelm Friedrich).
THE CATS ELOPEMENT
with Gon as to the means of overcoming them. Gon
entreated his master to set matters right by buying
Koma, but her mistress would not part from her. Then
the music master was asked to sell Gon to the lady, but
he declined to listen to any such suggestion, so everything
remained as before.
At length the love of the couple grew to such a pitch
that they determined to please themselves, and to seek
their fortunes together. So one moonlight night they
stole away, and ventured out into an unknown world.
All day long they inarched bravely on through the
sunshine, till they had left their homes far behind them,
and towards evening they found themselves in a large
park. The wanderers by this time were very hot and tired,
and the grass looked very soft and inviting, and the trees
cast cool deep shadows, when suddenly an ogre appeared
in this Paradise, in the shape of a big, big dog 1 He
came springing towards them showing all his teeth, and
Koma shrieked, and rushed up a cherry tree. Gon,
however, stood his ground boldly, and prepared to give
battle, for he felt that Koma’s eyes were upon him, and
that he must not run away. But, alas ! his courage
would have availed him nothing had his enemy once
touched him, for he was large and powerful, and very
fierce. Prom her perch in the tree Koma saw it all, and
screamed with all her might, hoping that some one would
hear, and come to help. Luckily a servant of the
princess to whom the park belonged was walking by,
and he drove off the dog, and picking up the trembling
Gon in his arms, carried him to his mistress.
' So poor little Koma was left alone, while Gon was
borne away full of trouble, not in the least knowing what
to do. Even the attention paid him by the princess, who
was delighted with his beauty and pretty ways, did not
console him, but there was no use in fighting against fate,
and he could only’ wait and see what would turn up.
The princess, Gon's new mistress, was so good and
TEE CATS ELOTEMEm
3
kind that everybody loved her, and she would have led a
happy life, had it not been for a serpent who had fallen
in love with her, and was constantly annoying her by his
presence. Her servants had orders to drive him away as
often as he appeared ; but as they were careless, and the
serpent very sly, it sometimes happened that he was
appearing before her. One day^she was seated in her
room, playing on her favourite musical instrument, when
she felt something gliding up her sash, and saw her
enemy making his way to kiss her cheek. She shrieked
and threw herself ^ backwards, and Gon, who had been
curled up on a stool at her feet, understood her terror,
and wnth one bound seized the snake by his neck. He
b2
' THE CATE ELOPEMENT 5
gave him one bite and one shake, and flung him on the
ground, where he lay, never to worry the princess any
more. Then she took Gon in her arms, and praised and
caressed him, and saw that lie had the nicest bits to eat,
and the softest mats to lie on ; and he would have had
nothing in the world to wish for if only he could have
seen Koma again.
Time passed on, and one morning Gon lay before the
house door, basking in the sun. He looked lazily at the
world stretched out before him, and saw in the distance
a big ruffian of a cat teasing and ill-treating quite a little
one. He jumped up, full of rage, and chased away the
big cat, and then he turned to comfort the little one,
when his heart nearly burst with joy to find that it was
Koma. At first Koma did not know him again, he had
gi’own so large and stately ; but when it dawned upon
her who it was, her happiness knew no bounds. And
they rublxid their heads and their noses again and again,
while their purring might have been heard a mile off.
Paw in paw they appeared before the princess, and
told her the story of their life and its sorrows. The
princess wept' for sympathy, and promised that they
should never more be parted, but should live with her to
the end of their days. By-and-bye the princess herself
got married, and brought a prince to dwell in the palace
in the park. And she told him all about her two cats,
and how brave Gon had been, and how he had delivered
her from her enemy the serpent.
And when the prince heard, he swore they should
never leave them, but should go with the princess
wherever she went. So it all fell out as the princess
wished ; and Gon and Koma had many children, and so
had the princess, and they all played together, and were
friends to the end of their lives-
6
HOW THE DBAGON WAS TIUCKED^
Once upon a time there lived a man who had two t’ona,
but they did not ^et on at all well together, for tlie
younger was much handsomer than his elder brother,
who was very jealous of him. When they grew older,
things became worse and worse, and at last one day as
they were walking through a wood the older youth seized
hold of the other, tied him to a tree, and went on lus way,
hoping that the boy might starve to death.
However, it happened that an old and Inmipbacked
shepherd passed the tree with his flock, and seeing the
prisoner, he stopped and said to him, ‘ Tell me, my son,
why are you tied to that tree ? ’
‘ Because I was so crooked,’ answered the young
man ; ' but it has quite cured me, and now my back is as
straight as can be.’
‘ I wish you would bind me to a tree,’ exclaimed the
shepherd, ‘ so that my back would get straight,’
‘ With all the pleasure in life,' replied the youtli. ‘ If
you will loosen these cords I will tic you up with them
as firmly as I can.’
This was soon done, and then the young man drove
off the sheep, leaving their real shepherd to repent of his
folly ; and before he had gone very far he met with a
horse boy and a driver of oxen, and he persuaded them
to turn with him and to seek for adventures.
‘ From OriecJiische und Albam$i$che Mdrohen^ von J. Gi-. von
Hahn, (Leipzig; Engelmann. 1864.)
HOW TEE DBAGON WAS TRICKED
7
By these and many other tricks he soon became so
celebrated that his fame reached the king’s ears, and his
majesty was filled with curiosity to see the man who had
managed to outwit everybody. So he commanded his
guards to capture the young man and bring him before
him.
And when the young man stood before the king, the
king spoke to him and said, ‘By your tricks and the
pranks that you have played on other people, you have,
in the eye of the law, forfeited your life. But on one
condition I will spare you, and that is, if you will bring
me the fiying horse that belongs to the great dragon.
Bail in this, and you shall be hewn in a thousand pieces.’
‘If that is all,’ said the youth, ‘ you shall soon have it.’
So he went out and made his way straight to the
stable where the flying horse was tethered. He stretched
his hand cautiously out to seize the bridle, when the
horse suddenly began to neigh as loud as he could. Now
the room in which the dragon slept was just above the
stable, and at the sound of the neighing he woke and
cried to the horse, ‘ What is the matter, rny treasure? is
anything hurting you ? ’ After waiting a little while the
young man tried again to loose the hoi'se, but a second
time it neighed so loudly that the dragon woke up in a
hurry and called out to know why the horse was making
such a noise, But when the same thing happemed the
third tim.e, the dragon lost his temper, and went down
into the stable and took a whip and gave the horse a good
beating. This offended the horse and made him angry,
and when the young man stretebed out his hand to untie
his head, he made no fimtherfuss, but sutfored himself to
be led quietly away. Once clear of the stable ilm young
man sprang on his back and galloped off, calling over
his shoulder, ‘ Hi ! dragon ! dragon ! if anyone asks you
what has become of your horse, you cati say that I have
got him 1 ’
But the king said, *Tho flying horse is all very
8 now THE DBAGON IVAS TIUCKED
well, but I want something more. You must bring me
the covering with the little bells that lies on the bed of
the dragon, or I will have you hewn into a thousand
pieces/
‘ Is that all ? ’ answered the youth. ‘ That is easily
done.’
And when night came ho 'vvent away to the dragon’s
house and climbed up on to the roof. Then he opened
a little window in the roof and let down the chain
from which the kettle usually hung, and tried to hook the
bed covering and to draw it up. But the little bells all
began to ring, and the dragon woke and said to his wife,
^ Wife, you have pulled off all the bed-clothes ! ’ and
drew the covering towards him, pulling, as he did so,
the young man into the room. Then tl\c dragon flung
himself on the youth and bound him fast with cords
saying as he tied the last knot, ‘ To-morrow when I go to
church you must stay at home and kill him and cook him,
and when I get back wc will eat him together.’
So the following morning the dragoncss took hold of
the young man and reached down from the shelf a sharp
knife with which to kill him. But as she untied the
cords the better to get hold of him, the prisoner caught
her by the logs, threw her to the ground, seized her and
speedily cut her throat, just as she had been about to do
for him, and put her body in the oven. Then he snatched
up the covering and carried it to the king.
The king was seated on his throne when the youth
appeared before him and spread out the covering with
a deep bow. ‘That is ^not* enough,’ said his majesty;
‘ you must bring me the dragon himself, or I will have
you hewn into a thousand pieces.’
‘ It shall be done,’ answered the youth ; ‘ but you must
give me two years to manage it, for my beard must grow
so that he may not know me/
‘ So be it,’ said the king.
And the first thing the young man did when his beard
10 HOW THE DBAGON WAS TRICKED
was grown was to take the road to the dragon’s house
and on the way he met a beggar, whom he persuaded to
change clothes with him, and in the beggar’s garments
he wont fearlessly forth to the dragon.
He found his enemy before his house, very busy
making a box, and addressed him politely, ‘Good
mori ing, your worship. Have you a morsel of bread ? ’
‘You must \vait/ replied the dragon, ‘till I have
finished my box, and then I will see if I can find
one.’
‘ What will you do with the box when it is made ? '
inquired the beggar.
‘It is for the young man who killed my wife, and
stole my flying horse and my bed covering,' said the
dragon.
‘He deserves nothing better,’ answered the beggar,
‘ for it was an ill deed. Btill that box is too small for
him, for he is a big man.’
‘ You are wrong,’ said the dragon. ‘ The box is large
enough even for me.’
‘ Well, the rogue is nearly as tall as you,’ replied the
beggar, ‘ and, of course, if you can get in, ho can. But I
am sure you would find it a tight fit.’
‘ No, there is plenty of room,’ said the dragon, tucking
himself carefully inside.
But no sooner was he well in, than the young man
clapped on the lid and called out, ‘Now press hard,
just to sec if he will be able to get out.’
The dragon pressed as hard as he could, but the lid
never moved.
‘ It is all right,’ he cried ; ‘ now you can open it.’
But instead of opening it, the young man drove in
long nails to make it tighter still ; then ho took the box on
his back and brought it to the king. And when the king
heard that the dragon was inside, he was so excited tluit
he would not wait one moment, but broke the lock and
lifted the lid just a little way to make sure he was really
HOW THE DRAGON WAS Tflli'KKO 11
there. He was very careful not to leaA't* eiiou^^h spare,
for the dragon to jump out, but unluckily ihcrt' was just'
room for his great mouth, and with one snap liir king
vanished down liis wide red jaws. Then lht‘ \-(nnig man
married the king’s daughter and ruled ovm* t he land, hut
what he did witli the dragon nobody kjiows.
TEE GOBLIN AND TEE 0 ROGERS
Thebk was once, a hard-working student who lived in
an attic, and be had nothing in the world of his own.
There was also a hard-working grocer who lived on the
first floor, and he had ilie whole house for liis own.
The Goblin belonged to him, for every Christmas Eve
there was waiting for him at the grocf'r’s a dish of jam
with a large lump of butter in the middle.
The grocer could afford tliis, so the Goblin stayed in
the grocer's shop ; and this teaclics us a good deal.
One evening the student came in })y the back door to
buy a candle and some cheese ; he liad no one to send,
so he came himself.
He got what he wanted, paid for it, and nodded a good
evening to the gi'ocer and his wife (she was a woman
who could do more than nod ; she could talk).
When the student had said good night he suddenly
stood still, reading the sheet of paper in which the cheese
had been wrapped.
It was a leaf torn out of an old book a hook of poetry.
‘ There's more of that over there ! ' said the grocer.
' I gave an old woman some coffee for the book. If you
like to give me twopence you can have the rest.’
'Yes,' said the student, ' give mo the book instead of
the cheese. I can eat my bread without cheese. It
would be a shame to leave the book to be torn up. You
* Translated from the German of Hans Andersen.
THE (rOiujy Axn the eiaha:}:
are a clever and injun nm uhn':: y » ; i y
understand as nuicli as that nit! tiih t»\i'r ! '
And that sounded rude as far a - dm tuh \\:i ^ rt ' ’ ^ o’,
but the grocer laughed, and so tiitf ihn and* M, I ' v .i .
only said in fun.
But the (lohlin was augr\ that au’^tti'f .5 d -n
say such a thing to a gnuau* who to\!‘t'd ih>o.? ami
. sold the best butter.
When it was night and the sh»»n s\a • dnto, .o »i - m
one wars in htai (weept the sttaleiu. tin- t;)ddn.
upstairs and took tlu‘ groeor’s uitod : *. ,i .j
not use it wluni she wa> aslenp, a?id ou v. »■ iO uo ef
in the room he piit^ it that llro!;: lt» oao r<t d- o i
spoke out its thoughts am! h'«‘hn;m ju o a - v,rll , ym
lady to whom it hehaiged. Ihit o!d\ lOi* tlio e .o *ie <
could use it, and that was a. goml lhm,o»>r tbr)
have all spoken loga^ther.
Tlie (h)hlin laid tlu‘ tomute on flt»' tnh sm h fr
the old nt‘ws]»apt‘rs.
* Is it true,’ {h‘ asked, * that vuti ku.e,^ m.oI
poetry ? ’
‘Ckmtaitdy mtl I ' atmwered dm ndi ’ f'»u
thing that i>s in tin* papers, and that i'» fs»'»jOri d^
I have a great deal tnnre in uie than !lm nuidrou 1*.^ ,
yet T am only a stnall tuh in tfie groem ^ nhop/
And the (lohlin put tlie tongue on the r*alo»« noil ^iful
how it began to grind ! Jle put ii on the hmin r.vX
and on the till, and a!! were of i!,e mime opmion ii« tp,!
waste-paper tula and one must hehmr fho fnii|oini,
*Now I will tell the Httalem !; joid wnU ihonr
he crept softly up the Htairs to ihe aide win re the
lived.
fS
adiiig ijio
II «srr#k
prumJ m
There was a light huinitsg, ami ih** cd4»li
through the ki^ydioh* and saw that hi^ wan rv
torn book tltat he, hmt honghi in the f^hnp
But how bright it was ! t)ui ,.f tha Iss.k 4.,
of light which grow into a largo tr« a«d *
14 THE GOBLIN AND THE GROCER
branches far above the student. Every leaf was alive,
and every flower was a beautiful girl’s head, some with
dark and shining eyes, others with wonderful blue ones.
Every fruit was a glittering star, and there was a
marvellous music in the student’s room. The little
Goblin had never even dreamt of such a splendid sight,
much less seen it.
He stood on tiptoe gazing and gazing, till the candle
in the attic was put out ; the student had blown it out
and had gone to bed, but the Goblin remained standing
outside listening to the music, which very softly and
sweetly was now singing the student a lullaby.
^ I have never seen anything like this 1 ' said the
Goblin. ‘ I never expected this ! I mirst stay with the
student/
The little fellow thought it over, for he was a sensible
Goblin. Then he sighed, ‘ The student has no jam ! ’
And on that he went down to tlio grocer again. And
it was a good thing that he did go back, for the tub had
nearly worn out the tongue. It had read everything that
was inside it, on the one side, and wa.s just going to tiui)
itself round and read from the other side when the Goblin
came in and returned the tongue to its owner.
. But the whole shop, from the till down to the shavings,
from that night changed their opinion of the tub, and they
looked up to it, and had such faith in it that they were
under the impression that when the grocer read the art
and drama critiques out of the paper in the evenings,
it all came from the tub.
But the Goblin could no longer sit quietly listening to
the wisdom and intellect downstairs. No, as soon as the
light shone in the evening from the attic it seemed to
him as though its beams were strong ropes dragging him
up, and he had to go and peep through the key-hole.
There he felt the sort of feeling we have looking at the
great rolling sea in a storm, and ha burst into tears. He
could not himself say why he wept, but in spite of his
16 THjS goblin and THE GBOCEB
tears he felt quite happy. How beautiful it must be to
sit under that tree with the student, but that he could
not do ; he had to content himself with the key-hole and
be happy there !
There he stood out on the cold landing, the autumn
wind blowing through the cracks of the floor. It was
cold — very cold, but he first found it out when the light
in the attic was put out and the music in the wood died
away. Ah ! then it froze him, and he crept down again
into his warm corner ; there it was comfortable and cosy.
When Christmas came, and with it the jam with the
large lump of butter, ah ! then the grocer was first with
him.
But in the middle of the night the Goblin awoke,
hearing a great noise and knocking against the shutters
— people hammering from outside. The watchman was
blowing his horn : a groat fire had broken out ; the whole
town was in flames.
Was it in the house? or was it at a neighbour’s?
Where was it ?
The alarm increased. The grocer’s wife was so
terrified that she took her gold earrings out of her ears
and put them in her pocket in order to save something.
The grocer seized his account books, and the maid her
black silk dress.
Everyone wanted to save his most valuable possession ;
so did the Goblin, and in a few leaps he was up the stairs
and in the student’s room. Ho was standing quietly by
the open window looking at the fire that was burning
in the neighbour’s house just opposite. The Goblin
seized the book lying on the table, put it in his red cap,
and clasped it with both hands. The best treasure in the
house was saved, and he climbed out on to the roof with
it— on to the chimtfey. There he sat, lighted up by the
flames from the burning house opposite, both hands
holding tightly on his red cap, in which lay the treasure ;
and now he knew what his heart reaUy valued most— to
17
THE GOBLIN AND THE GROCER
whom he really belonged. But when the tire was put
out, and the Goblin thought it over — then —
‘ I will divide myself between the two,’ lie said. ‘ 1
cannot quite give up the grocer, because of the jam ! ’
And it is just the same with us. We also cannot
quite give up the grocer— because of the jam-
18
THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD^
A POOB woodcutter lived with his wife and three daughters
in a little hut on the borders of a great forest.
One morning as he was going to his W'Ork, he said to
his wife, ‘ Let our eldest daughter bring me my lunch into
the wood ; and so that she shall not lose her way, I will
take a bag of millet with me, and sprinkle the seed on the
path.’
When the sun had risen high over the forest, the girl
set out with a basin of soup. But the field and wood
sparrows, the larks and finches, blackbirds and green-
finches had picked up the millet long ago, and the girl
could not find her way.
She went on and on, till the sun set and night came
on. The trees rustled in the darkness, the owls hooted,
and she began to be very much frightened. Then she
saw in the distance a light that twinkled between the
trees. ' There must be people living yonder,’ she thought,
* who will take me in for the night,’ and she began walk-
ing towards it.
Not long afterwards she came to a house with lights
in the wundows.
She knocked at the door, and a gruff voice called,
‘ Come in 1 '
The girl stepped into the dark entrance, and tapped
at the door of the room.
* From the German of Grimm.
THE HOUSE m THE WOOD id
'Just walk in/ cried the voice, and when she opened
the door there sat an old grey-haired man at the table.
His face was resting on his hands, and his white beard
flowed over the table almost down to the ground.
By the stove lay three beasts, a hen, a cock, and a
brindled cow. The girl told the old man her story, and
asked for a night’s lodging.
The man said :
Pretty cock,
Pretty ben,
And you, pretty brindled cow,
What do you say now ?
'Duks,’ answered the beasts; and that must have
meant, ^ We are quite willing,’ for the old man went on,
' Here is abundance ; go into the back kitchen and cook
us a supper.’
The girl found plenty of everything in the kitchen, and
cooked a good meal, but she did, not think of the boasts.
She placed the full dishes on the table, sat down
opposite the grey-hahed man, and ate till her hunger was
appeased.
When she was satisfied, she said, ' But now I am so
tired, w’'here is a bed in ■which I can sleep ? ’
The beasts answered :
You have eaten with him,
You have drunk with him,
Of ws you have not thought,
Sleep then as you ought I
*
Then the old man said, ' Go upstairs, and there yott
will find a bedroom ; shake the bed, and put clean sheets
on, and go to sleep.'
The maiden went upstaiirs, and when she had made
the bed, she lay down.
After some time the grey-haired man came, looked at
her by the light of his candle* and shook his head. And
c2
26
THE IIOUi^E THE WOOD
when he saw that she was sound asleep, ho opened a trap-
door and let her fall into the cellar.
The woodcutter came home late in the evening, and
reproached his wife for leaving him all day without food.
* No, I did not/ she answered ; ‘ the girl went off with
your dinner. She must have lost her way, but will no
doubt come back to-morrow.’
But at daybreak the woodcutter started off into the •
wood, and tliis time asked his second daughter to bring
his food.
‘ I will take a bag of lentils,’ said he ; ‘ they arc larger
than millet, and the girl will see them better and be sure
to find her way.’
At midday the maiden took the food, Inxt the lentils
had all gone ; as on the previous clay, the wood birds had
eaten them all.
The maiden wandered a])out the wood till nightfall^
when she came in the same way to the old man’s house,
and asked for food and a night’s lodging.
The man with tlie white hair again asked the beasts :
Pretty cock,
Pretty hen,
And you, pretty brindled cow,
“What do you say now 7
The beasts answered, * Duks,’ and everything happened
as on the former day.
The girl cooked a good meal, ate and drank with the
old man, and did not trouble herself about the animals.
And when she asked for a bed, they replied :
You have eaten with him,
You have drunk with him,
Of tin you have not thought,
l^ow sleep as you ought I
And when she was asleep, the old man shook his head
over her, and let her fall into the cellar.
THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD 21
On the third morning the woodcutter said to his wife,
* Send our youngest child to-day with my dinner. She is
always good and obedient, and will keep to the right path,
and not wander away like her sisters, idle drones 1 ’
But the mother said, ‘ Must I lose my dearest child
too?’
‘Do not fear,’ he answered; ‘she is too clever and
« intelligent to lose her way. I will take plenty of peas
with me and strew them along ; they are even larger than
lentils, and will show her the way.’
But when the maiden started off with the basket on
her arm, the wood pigeons had eaten up the peas, and she
did not know which way to go. She was much distressed,
and thought constantly of her poor hungry father and
her anxious mother. At last, when it grew dark, she saw
the little light, and came to the house in the wood. She.
asked prettily if she might stay there for the night, and
the man with the white beard asked his beasts again :
Pretty cock,
Pretty hen,
And you, pretty brindled cow,
What do you say now ?
‘Duks,’they said. Then the maiden stepped up to
the stove where the animals were lying, and stroked the
cock and the hen, and scratelmdthe brindled cuw between
its horns.
And when at the bidding of the old wm she had
prepared a good supper, and the dishes worci standing ort
the table, she said, ‘ Shall I have> plenty while the good
beasts have nothing ? There is food to spare outside ; I
will attend to them first/
Then she went out and fetched barley and strewed it
before the cock and hen, and brought the cow an armful
of sweet-smelling hay.
‘ Eat that, dear boasts,” she said, * and when you are
thirsty you shall have a good drink/
THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD
Then she fetched a bowl of water, and the cock and
hen flew on to the edge, put their beaks in, and then held
up their heads as birds do when they drink, and the
brindled cow also drank her hll. When the beasts were
satisfied, the maiden sat down beside the old man at the
table and ate what was left for her. Soon the cock and
hen began to tuck their heads under their wings, and tlie
brindled cow blinked its eyes, so the maiden said, ‘ Shall
we not go to rest now ? ’
Pretty cock.
Pretty hen,
And you, pretty brindled cow,
What do you say now ?
THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD
23
The animals said, ‘ Duks :
You have eaten with us
You have drunk with us,
You have tended us right,
So we wish you good night,’
The maiden therefore went upstairs, made the bed and
put on clean sheets and fell asleep. She slept peacefully
till midnight, when there was such a noise in the house
that she awoke. Everything trembled and shook ; the
animals sprang up and dashed themselves in terror
against the wall ; the beams swayed as if they would be
torn from their foundations, it seemed as if the stairs were
tumbling down, and then the roof fell in with a crash.
Then all became still, and as no haiun came to the maiden
she lay down again and fell asleep. But when she awoke
again in broad daylight, what a sight met her eyes ! She
was lying in a splendid room furnished with royal
splendour ; the walls were covered with golden flowers
on a green ground ; the bed was of ivory and the counter-
pane of velvet, and on a stool near by lay a pair of slippers
studded with pearls. The maiden thought she must be
di'eaming, but in came three servants richly dressed, who
asked what were her commands. ' Go,’ said the maiden.
‘ I will get up at once and cook the old man’s supper for
him, and then I will feed the pretty cock and hen and the
brindled cow/
But the door opened and in came a handsome young
man, who said, ' I am a king’s son, and was condemned
by a wicked witch to live as an old man in this wood
with no company but that of my three servants, who were
ti'ansformed into a cock, a hen, and a brindled cow. The
spell could only be. broken by the arrival of a maiden
who should show herself kind not only to men but to
beasts. You are that maiden, and last night at midnight
.we were freed, and this poor house was again transformed
into my royal palace.
24
TEE HOUSE IN THE WOOD
As they stood there the king’s son told his three ser-
vants to go and fetch the maiden’s parents to be present
at the wedding feast. ^
‘ But where are my two sisters ? ’ asked the maid.
I shut them up in the cellar, but in the morning they
shall be led forth into the forest and shall serve a char-
coal burner until they have improved, and will never
again suffer poor animals to go hungry,'
UBASCHIMATABO AND TEE TUBTLE
Theke was once a worthy old couple who lived on the
coast, and supported themselves by fishing. They had
only one child, a son, who was their pride and joy, and
for his sake they were ready to work hard all day long,
and never felt tired or discontented with their lot. This
son’s name was Uraschimataro, which moans in Japanese,
‘ Son of the island/ and he was a fine well-grown youth
and a good fisherman, minding neither wind nor weather.
Not the bravest sailor in the whole village dared venture
so far out to sea as Uraschimataro, and many a time the
neighbours used to shake their heads and say to his
parents, ‘ If your son goes on being so i*ash, one day he
will try his luck once too often, and the waves will end
■by s wallow ing him up.’ But Uraschimataro paid no heed
to these remarks, and as he was really very clever in
managing a boat, the old people were very seldom
anxious about him.
One beautiful bright morning, as ho was hauling his
well-filled nets into the boat, he saw lying among the
fishes a tiny little turtle. He v^as delighted with his
prize, and threw it into a wooden vessel to keep till he
got home, when suddenly the turtle found its voice, and
tremblingly begged for its life. ^ After all,’ it said,
‘ what good can I do you ? I am so young and small,
and I would so gladly live a little longer* Be merciful
* From the Japajiische M&rchm und Sagen^ von David Brauns
(Leipzig : Wilhelm Friedrich).
26 URASCIIDIATABO AND THE TURTLE
and set rue free, and I shall know how to prove my
gratitude.’
Now Uraschiinataro was very good-natured, and be-
sides, he could never bear to say no, so he picked up the
turtle, and put it back into the sea.
Years flew by, and every morning Uraschimataro
sailed his boat into the deep sea. But one day as he was
making for a little bay between some rocks, there arose a ^
fierce whirlwind, which shattered his boat to pieces, and
she was sucked under by the waves. Uraschimataro
himself very nearly shared the same fate. But he was a
powerful swimmer, and struggled hard to reach the
shore. Then he saw a large turtle coming towards him,
and above the howling of the storm he heard what it
said : ' I am the turtle whose life you once saved. I
will now pay my debt and show my gratitude. The land
is still far distant, and without my help you would
never get there. Climb on my back, and I will take you
where you will’ Uraschimataro did not wait to be asked
twice, and thankfully accepted his friend’s help. But
scarcely was he seated firmly on the shell, \vhen the
turtle proposed that they should not return to the shore
at once, but go under the sea, and look at some of the
wonders that lay hidden there.
Uraschimataro agreed willingly, and in another moment
they were deep, deep dowm, with fathoms of blue water
above their heads. Ob, how quickly they darted through
the still, warm sea 1 The young man held tight, and
.j^velled where they were going and how long they
were to travel, but for three days they rushed on, till
at last the turtle stopped before a splendid palace, shin-
ing with gold and silver, crystal and precious stones,
and decked here and there with branches of pale pink
coral and glittering pearls* But if Uraschimataro was
astonished at the beauty of the outside, he was struck
dumb at the sight of the hall within, which was lighted
by the blaze of fish scales.
UBASGHIMATARO AND THE TURTLE 27
‘ Where have you brought me ? ' he asked his guide in
a low voice.
‘ To the palace of Eingu, the house of the sea god,
whose subjects we all are,’ answered the turtle. ' I am
the first waiting maid of his daughter, the lovely princess
Otohim4, whom you will sliortly see,’
Uraschimataro was still so puzzled with the adventures
that had befallen him, that he waited in a dazed condition
for what would happen next. But the turtle, who had
28 UBASCHIMATABO AND TEE TUBTLE
talked so much of him to the princess that she had
expressed a wish to see him, went at once to make
known his arrival. And directly the princess beheld him
her heart was set on him, and she begged him to stay
with her, and in return promised that he should never
grow old, neither should his beauty fade. ‘ Is not that
reward enough ? ’ she asked, smiling, looking all the while
as fair as the sun itself. And Uraschimataro said ‘ Yes,’-
and so he stayed there. For how long ? That he only
knew later.
His life passed by, and each hour seemed happier
than the last, when one day there rushed over him a
terrible longing to see his parents. He fought against it
hard, knowing how it w^ould grieve the princess, but it
grew on him stronger and stronger, till at length he
became so sad that the princess inquired what was
wrong. Then he told her of the longing he had to visit
his old home, and that he must see his parents once
more. The princess was almost frozen with horror, and
implored him to stay with her, or something dreadful
would be sure to happen. ‘ You will never come back,
and we shall meet again no more,’ she moaned bitterly.
But Uraschimataro stood firm and repeated, * Only this
once will I leave you, and then will I return to your side
for ever.’ Sadly the p^nnccss shook her head, but she
answered slowly, ‘ One way there is to bring you safely
back, but I fear you will never agree to the conditions of
the bargain/
^ I will do anything that will bring me back to you,’
exclaimed Uraschimataro, looking at her tenderly, but the
princess was silent : she knew too well that when he left
her she would see his face no more. Then she took from
a shelf a tiny golden box, and gave it to Uraschimataro,
praying him to keep it carefully, and above all things
never to open it. ‘ If you can do this,’ she said as she
bade him farewell, ‘ your friend the turtle will meet you at
the shore, and will carry you back to me/
30 UBASCHniATARO AND THE TURTLE
Uraschimataro thanked her from his heart, and swore
solemnly to do her bidding. He hid the box safely in
his garments, seated himself on the back of the turtle,
and vanished in the ocean path, waving his hand to the
princess. Three days and three nights they swam
through the sea, and at length Uraschimataro arrived at
the beach which lay before his old home. The turtle
bade him farewell, and was gone in a moment.
Uraschimataro drew near to the village with quick
and joyful steps. He saw the smoke curling through
the roof, and the thatch where green plants had thickly
sprouted. He heard the children shouting and calling,
and from a window that he passed came the twang of
the koto, and everything seemed to cry a welcome for
his return. Yet suddenly he felt a pang at his heart
as he wandered down the street. After all, everything
was changed. Neither men nor houses were those
he once knew". Quickly he saw his old home ; yes, it
was still there, but it had a strange look. Anxiously he
knocked at the door, and asked the woman w’ho opened
it after his parents. But she did not know their names,
and could give him no news of them.
Still more disturbed, he rushed to the burying ground,
the only place that could tell him what he wished to
know. Here at any rate he W'ould find out what it all
meant. And he w^as light. In a moment he stood
before the grave of his parents, and the date written on the
stone was almost exactly the date when they had lost
their son, and he had forsaken them for the Daughter of
the Sea. And so he found that since he had left his
home, three hundred years had passed by.
Shuddering with horror at his discovery he turned
back into the village street, hoping to meet some one
who could tell him of the days of old. But w^hen the
man spoke, he knew he was not dreaming, though he felt
if he had lost his senses.
, In despair he bethought him of the box w^hich was
UBASGHIMATABO AND THE TUBTLE 31
.the gift of the princess. Perhaps after all this dreadful
thing was not true. He might be the victim of some
enchanter’s spell, and in his hand lay the counter-
charm. Almost unconsciously he opened it, and a purp le
xaponr came pouring out. He held the empty box in
his hand, and as he looked he saw that the fresh hatid of
youth had grown suddenly shrivelled, like the hand of an
old, old man. He fan to the brook, which flowed in a
clear stream down from the mountain, and saw himself
•]*!
UBASGIIIMATAIiO AND TUB TUB TLB
reflected as m a mirror. It was the face of a miimmv
7 to death, he erect
lack through the village, and no man knew the old old
man to be the strong handsome youth who had run down
the street an hour before. So he toiled wearily back till
he reached the shore, and here he sat sadly In a rock
and called loudly on the turtle. But she never came
^ac ' any nmre, but instead, death came soon, and set
saw him sitting lonely on the shore had heard hk story
and when their children were restless they used to teU
them of the good son who from love to his parents had
gveii up for their sakes the splendour and wonders of
thepalace in he sea, and the most beautiful woman m
tile world besides.
33
THE SLAYING OF THE TANUKI^
Near a big river, and between two high mountains, a man
and his wife lived in a cottage a long, long time ago. A
dense forest lay all round the cottage, and there was
hardly a path or a tree in the whole wood that was not
familiar to the peasant from his boyhood. In one of his
wanderings he had made friends with a hare, and many
an hour the two passed together, when the man was
resting by the roadside, eating his dinner.
Now this strange friendship w^as observed by the
Tanuki, a wicked, quarrelsome beast, who hated the
peasant, and was never tired of doing him an ill turn.
Again and again ho had crept to the hut, and finding some
choice morsel put away for the little hare, had either eaten
it if he thought it nice, or trampled it to pieces so that no
one else should get it, and at last the peasant lost patience,
and made up his mind ho would have the Tanuki ’s blood.
So for many days the man lay hidden, waiting for the
Tanuki to come by, and when one morning he marched
up the road thinking of nothing but the dinner he was
going to steal, the peasant threw himself upon him and
bound his four legs tightly, so that he could not move.
Then he dragged his enemy joyfully to the house, feeling
that at length he had got the better of the mischievous
beast which had done him so many ill turns. ‘ He shall
pay for them with his skin/ he said to his wife. We
will kill him, and then cook him/ So saying, he
* From the Mdrchm und Sagen.
P
XI
34
THE SLAYING OF THE TANUKI
han^ml thu Tanuki, head downwards, to a beam, and went
out to wood for a tire.
Mi’atnvhile. the old woman was standing at the mortar
poimding the rice that was to serve them for the week
with a pestle that made her arms ache with its weight.
Huddenly slu‘ heard something whining ■ and weeping in
the corner, and, stopping her work, she looked round to
sei^ wliat it was. That was all that the rascal wanted,
and put on directly his most humble air, and begged
the wonuin in his softest voice to loosen his bonds, which
were iuuling him sorely. She was filled with pity for
him, hut diil not dare to set him free, as she knew that
!uu' hushan<l would la* very angry. The Tanuki, however,
dttl not iiespair, ami seeing that her heart was softened,
h(‘ga!i his praytu's anew. * He only asked to have his
h{)nds tak<*{i from him,’ he said. *He would give his
word not to attempt to escape, and if lie was once set free
he could soon pound her rice for lier.’ ‘ Then you can
liavi? a little rest,’ lie went on, ‘ for rice pounding is very
tiring work, and not at all fit for weak women.’ These
last words melted the good woman completely, and she
unfastened the bonds that held him. Poor foolish
creature! In one moment the Tanuki liad seized her,
stripiMHl otT all her clothes, and popped her in the mortar.
In a few minutes more she was pounded as fine as the
rice ; and not content with that, the Tanuki placed a pot
on the hearth and made ready to cook the peasant a
dinner from the flesh of his own wife !
When everything was complete he looked out of the
door, and saw the ohhnan coming from the forest carrying
a large bundle of wood. Quick as lightning the Tanuki
not only put on tlie woman’s clothes, but, as he was a
magician, asnumed her form as well Then he took the
wood, kindled the fire, and very soon set a large dinner
before the old man, who was very hungry, and had
forgotten for the moment all about his enemy. But w^hen
the Tanuki sa^v that ha had eaten his fill and would be
THEY^vNUKL 13r;.GS TltH OLD WOM/VN
To PyEHLASE H1^V
o»
36 THE SLAYINif OF THE TANUKI
thinking about his prisoner, lie hastily shook off the-
clothes behind a door and took his own shape. Then he
said to the peasant, ^ You are a nice sort of person to
seize animals and to talk of killing them 1 You are
caught in your own net. It is your own wife that you
have eaten, and if you want to find her bones you have
only to look under the floor.’ With these words he
turned and made for the forest.
The old peasant grew cold with horror as he listened,
and seemed frozen to the place where he stood. When
he had recovered himself a little, he collected the bones
of his dead wife, buried them in the garden, and swore
over the grave to be avenged on the Tanuki. After every-
thing was done he sat himself down in his lonely cottage
and wept bitterly, and the bitterest thought of all was
that he would never bo able to forget that he had eaten
his own wife.
While he was tlius weeping and wailing his friend the
hare passed by, and, hearing the noise, pricked up his ears
and soon recognised the old man’s voice. He wondered
what had happened, and put his head in at the door and
asked if anything was the matter. With tears and groans
the peasant told him the whole dreadful story, and the
hare, filled with anger and coinpassioti, comforted liiin as
best he could, and promised to help hian In his revenge.
* The false knave shall not go xinpunishcd,’ said he.
So the first thing he did was to search the house for
materials to make an ointment, which ho sprinkled
plentifully with popper and then put in lus pocket. Next
he took a hatchet, bade farewell to the old man, and
departed to the forest. Ho bent his steps to the dwelling
of the Tanuki and knocked at the door. The Tanuki,
who had no cause to suspect the hare, was greatly ploased^
to see hhn, for he noticed the hatchet at once, and began
to lay plots how to get hold of it.
To do this he thought he had better offer to accompany
the hare, which was exactly what the hare wished and
TEE SLAYING OF THE TANUKI 37
expected, for he knew all the Tanuki’s cunning, and
understood his little ways. So he accepted the rascal’s
company with joy, and made himself very pleasant as
they strolled along. When they were wandering in this
manner through the forest the hare carelessly raised his
hatchet in passing, and cut down some thick boughs that
were hanging over the path, but at length, after cutting
down a good big tree, which cost him many hard blows,
he declared that it was too heavy for him to carry home,
and he must just leave it where it was. This delighted
the greedy Tanuki, who said that they would be no weight
THE SLAYING OF THE TANUKI
for him, so they collected the large branches, which the
hare hound tightly on his back. Then he trotted gaily
to the house, the hare following after with his lighter
InuKllc.
By this time the hare liad decided what he would do,
and as soon as they arrived, be quietly set on fire the
wood on the hack of the Tanuki. The Tanuki, who was
busy with something else, observed nothing, and only
ealh‘d out to ask what wils the meaning of the crackling
that he heard. ‘ It is just tlui rattle of the stones which
art* rolling dtnvn the side of the mountain,’ the hare said ;
and the Tanuki was content, and made no further remarks,
never noticiiig that the noise really sprang from the burn-
ing houghs on his hack, until his fur was in flames, and
it was almost too late to put it out. Shrieking with pain,
lu‘ ht fall tlui burning wood from his back, and stamped
and howled with agony. But the hare comforted him,
and told him that he always carried with him an excellent
plaster in cast* of tuaal, which would ])ring him instant
rtdief, imd taking out his ointment he spread it on a leaf
of bamboo, and laid it on the woun<l. No sooner did it
touch him than tlu? Tanuki leapt yelling into the air, and
the hare laugluHi, and ran to his fi'iend the peasant
what a ttnek he had phiytal on their enemy. But the old
imn shobk his head sadly, for ho knew that the villain
was only cimshcal for the moment, and that ho would
shortly be revenging himself upon them. No, the only
way ever to get any peace ami (|uiei was to render the
Tanuki harmless forever. Long did the old man and the
hare }mz7Ao together how this was to be done, and at last
they decided that they would make tw'o boats, a small one
of wood and a largo one of clay. Then they fell to work
at once, and when the boats wore ready and properly
painted, the hare went to the Tanuki, who was still very
ill, and invited him to a great fish-catching. The Tanuki
was still feeling angry with the liare about ilui trick be
had played him, but he was weak and very hungry, so he
■CHE SLAYING OF THE TANUKI 39
gladly accepted the proposal, and accompanied the hare
H boats were moored
and the Tanuki only saw that one was bigger than the
other, and would hold more fish, so he spfang into the
large one, while the hare climbed into the one which was
made of wood. They loosened their moorings, and made
01 the middle of the stream, and when they were at some
suchTh IT® ’'v bis L, and struck
Jich a heavy blow at the other boat, that it broke in two.
The Tanuki fell straight into the water, and was held
thrLd^ ‘be hare till he was quite dead. Then he put
TTin, 1 >,^+ V rowed to land, and told the old
man that his enemy was dead at last. And the old man
i^ejoiced that his wife was avenged, and he took the
hare into his house, and they lived together aU their days
in neace and quietness upon the mountain.
THE FLYING THUNK ^
TfiEiiE was onco a merchant who was so rich that he
could have paved the whole street, and perhaps even a
little side-street besides, with silver. But he did not do
■that; he knew another way of spending his money. If
ho spent a shilling ho got back a llorin- such an excellent
merchant ho was— till he died.
Now his son inherited all this money. lie lived very
merrily ; he went every niglit to the theatre, made paper
kites out of live-pound notes, and played ducks and
drakes with sovcrcigtis instead of stones. In this way
the money was likely to come soon to an end, and so it
did.
At last he had nothing loft hut four shillings, and he
had no clothes except a pair of slippers and an old
dressing-gown.
His friends did not trouble themselves any more about
him ; they would not even walk down the street with
him.
But one of them who was rather good-natured sent
him an old trunk with the message, ' Pack up ! * That
was all very well, but ho had nothing to pack up, so ho
got into the trunk himself.
It was an enchanted trunk, for as soon as the lock
was pressed it could fly. lie pressed it, and away he
flew in it up the chimney, high into the clouds, further
and further away. But whenever the bottom gave a
* TraiUslafced from the Gorman of Hans Anderson.
TEE FLYING TEUNK
41
little creak he was in terror lest the trunk should go
to pieces, for then he would have turned a dreadful
somersault — just think of it !
In this way he arrived at the land of th i Turks. He
hid the trunk in a wood under some dry leaves, and then
walked into the town. He could do that quite well, for
all the Turks were dressed just as he was — in a dressing-
gown and slippers.
He met a nurse with a little child.
' Halloa ! you Turkish nurse/ said he, ' what is that
great castle there close to the town ? The one with the
windows so high up ? ’
'The sultan’s daughter lives there,’ she replied. 'It
is prophesied that she will be very unlucky in her
husband, and so no one is allowed to see her except when
the sultan and sultana are by.’
' Thank you,’ said the merchant’s son, and he went
into the wood, sat himself in his trunk, flew on to the
roof, and crept through the window into the princess’s
room.
She was lying on the sofa asleep, and was so beautiful
that the young merchant had to kiss her. Then she
woke up and was very much frightened, but he said he
was a Turkish god who had come through the air to see
her, and that pleased her very much.
They sat close to each other, and he told her a story
about her eyes. They were beautiful dark lakes in which
her thoughts swam about like mermaids. And her
forehead was a snowy mountain, grand and shining.
These were lovely stories.
Then he asked the princess to marry him, and she
said yes at once.
'But you must come here on Saturday,’ she said, 'for
then the sultan and the sultana are coming to tea with
me. They will be indeed proud that I receive the god
of the Turks. But mind you have a really good story
ready, for my paiients like them immensely. My mother
42
THE FLYING TRUNK
likes something rathei- moral and liigh-llo^vn, and my
lather likes something merry to make him laugh.’
_ ‘ Yes, 1 shall only bring a fairy story for my dowry ’
said he, and so they parted. But the princess gave him
a sabre sot with gold pieces which he could use.
Then he flow away, bouglit himself a now dressing-
gown, and sat down in the wood and began to make up
a story, for it had to be ready by Satm-day, and that was
no easy matter. '
TEE FLYING TRUNK
43
When he had it ready it was Saturday.
The sultan, the sultana, and the whole court were at
tea with the princess.
He was most graciously received.
‘Will you tell us a story?’ said the sultana; ‘one
that is thoughtful and instructive ? ’
‘ But something that we can laugh at/ said the sultan.
‘Oh, certainly,’ he replied, and began : ‘Now, listen
attentively. There was once a box of matches which lay
between a tinder-box and an old iron pot, and they told
the story of their youth.
‘ “ We used to bo on the green fir-boughs. Every
morning and evening we had diamond-tea, which was the
dew^ and the w4iole day long we had sunshine, and the
little birds used to tell us stories. We w^ere very rich,
because the other trees only dressed in summer, but we
had green dresses in summer and in winter. Then the
woodcutter came, and our family w’as split up. We have
now the task of making light for the lowest people. That
is why Ave grand people are in the kitchen.”
‘ “ My fate was quite different,” said the iron pot, near
which the matches lay.
‘ “ Since I came into the world I have been many times
scoured, and have cooked much. My only pleasure is to
have a good chat with my companions when I am lying
nice and clean in my place after dinner.”
‘“Now you are talking too fast,” spluttered the fire.
‘ “ Yes, let us decide who is the grandest ! ” said tl|^
matches. ^
‘ “ No, I don’t like talking abouj myself,” said the pot.
‘ “ Let us arrange an evening’s entertainment. I will
tell the story of my life.
‘ “ On the Baltic by the Danish shore ”
‘ “ What a beautiful beginning ! ” said all the plates.
“ That’s a story that will please us all.”
‘ And the end was just as good as the beginning. All
the plates clattered for joy.
44
THE FLYING TBUNK
' Now I will dance,” said the tongs, and she danced.
Oh ! how high she could kick 1
' The old chair-cover in the corner split when he saw
her.
' The urn would have sung but shfe said she had a
cold ; she could not sing unless she boiled.
‘In the window was an old quill pen. There was
nothing remarkable about her except tluit she had been
dipped too deeply into the ink. But she was very proud
of that.
‘“If the urn will not sing,” said she, “outside the
door hangs a nightingale in a cage who will sing.”
‘“I don’t think it’s proper,” said the kettle, “that
such a foreign bird should be lieard.”
‘ “ Oh, let us have some acting,” said everyone. “ Do
let us 1 ”
‘ Suddenly tlui door opened and the maid came in.
Everyone was quite quiet. There was not a sound. But
each pot know what he might have done, and how grand
ho was.
‘ The maid took the matches and lit the fire with
tltein. How they spluttered and tianied, to bo sure !
“ Now everyone can see,” they thought, “ that we are
the grandest ! How wc sparkle ! What a light ”
‘But hero they were burnt out.’
‘ That was a delightful story ! * said the sultana, ‘ I
quite feel myself in the kitchen with the matches. Yes,
now you shall marry our daughter.*
‘ Yes, indeed,’ said the sultan, ‘you shall marry our
daughter on Monday^* ^ Aiid they treated the young man
as one of the family.
The wedding was arranged, and the night before the
whole town was illuminated.
Biscuits and gingerbreads were thrown among the
people, the street boys stood on tiptoe crying hurrahs and
whistling through their fingers. It was all splendid.
‘Now I must also give them a treat/ thought the
46
THE FLYING TRUNK
merchant’s son. And so he bought rockets, crackers, and
all the kinds of fireworks you can think of, put them in
his trunk, and flew' up with them into the air.
Whirr-r-r, how they fizzed and blazed !
All the Turks jumped so high that their slippers fle'i?'
above their heads ; such a splendid glitter they had never
seen before.
Now they could quite well understand that it was the
god of the Turks himself who w'as to marry the princess.
As soon as the young merchant came down again into
the wood with his trunk he thought, ‘ Now I w’ill just gi
into the tow'ii to sec hoAV the show has taken.’
And it was quite natural that he should want to dt
this.
Oh ! what stories the people had to tell !
Eaclr one whom he asked had seen it differently, but
they had all found it beautiful.
‘ I saw the Turkisli god himself,’ said one. ‘ He had
eyes like glittering stars, and a beard like foaming w'ater.’
‘ He flew away in a cloak of fire,’ said another.
They were splendid things that he heard, and the next
day was to be his wedding day.
Then he w'ent back into the wood to sit in his trunk ;
but what had become of it ? The trunk had been burnt.
A spark of the fireworks had set it alight, and the trunk
was in ashes. Ho could no longer fly, and could never
reach his bride.
She stood the whole day long on the roof and waited ;
perhaps she is waiting there still.
But he W'andered through the world and told stories ;
though they are not so merry as the one he told about the
matches.
47
THE SNOW-MAE^
^How astonishingly cole it is ! My body is cracking all
over 1 ’ said the Snow-man. ‘ The wind is really cutting
one’s very life out ! Ana how that fiery thing up there
glares 1 ’ He meant the. sun, which was just setting.
' It sha’n’t make me blink, though, and I shall keep quite
cool and collected.’
Instead of eyes he had two large three-cornered pieces
of slate in his head ; his mouth consisted of an old rake,
so that he had teeth as well.
He wars born amidst the shouts and laughter of the
boys, and greeted by the jingling bells and cracking
whips of the sledges.
The sun went down, the full moon rose, large, round,
clear and beautiful, in the dark blue sky.
‘ There it is again on the other side 1 ’ said the Snow-
man, by which he meant the sun was appearing again.
‘ I have become quite accustomed to its glaring. I hope
it will hang there and shine, so that I may be able to see
myself. I wish I knew, though, how one ought to set
about changing one’s, position. I,should very much like
to move about. If I only could, I would glide up and
down the ice there, as I saw the boys doing ; but some-
how or other, I don’t know how to run.’
‘Bow-wow ! ’ barked the old yard-dog ; he was rather
hoarse and couldn’t bark very well. His hoarseness
* Translated from the German of Hans Christian Andersen.
m
THE SN0W-^2IAN
came on when he was a house-dog and used to lie in
front of the stove. ‘ The sun will soon teach you to run !
I saw that last winter with your predecessor, and farther
back still with his predecessors ! They have all run
away I ’
' I don't understand you, my friend/ said the Snow-
man. ‘ That thing up there is to teach me to run ? ’ He
meant the moon, * Well, it certainly did run just now,
for I saw it quite plainly over there, and now here it is
on this side.’
* You know nothing at all abc ut it/ said the yard-dog.
‘ Why, you have only just been made. The thing you see
there is the moon ; the other th'.ng you saw going down
the other side was the sun. He will come up again to-
morrow morning, and will soon teach you how to run
away down the gutter. The weather is going to change ;
I feel it already by the pain in my left hind-leg ; the
weather is certainly going to change.’
‘ I can’t understand him/ said the Snow man ; *but I
have an idea that ho is speaking of something unpleasant.
That thing that glares so, and then disappears, the sun, as
he calls it, is not my friend. I know that by instinct.’
' Bow-wow ! ’ barked the yard-dog, and walked three
times round himself, and then crept into his kennel to
sleep. The weather really did change. Towards morning
a dense damp fog lay over the whole noighl>ourhood ;
later on came an icy wind, which sent the frost packing.
But when the sun rose, it was a glorious sight. The
trees and shrubs w^ere covered with rime, and looked like
a wood of coral, and every branch was thick with long
white blossoms. The most delicate twigs, wdiich are lost
among the foliage in summer-time, came now into pro-
minence, and it was like a spider’s web of glistening
white. The lady -birches waved in the wind ; and when
the sun shone, everything glittered and sparkled as if it
were sprinkled with diamond dust, and great diamonds
were lying on the snowy carpet.
X
50
THE SNOW^MAN
* Isn’t it wonderful ? ’ exclaimed a girl who was walk-
ing with a young man in the garden. They stopped near
the Snow-man, and looked at the glistening trees.
‘SuVhmer cannot show a more beautiful sight/ she said,
with her eyes shining.
^ And one can’t get a fellow like this in summer either/
eaid the young man, pointing to the Snow-man. ‘ He’s a
beauty ! ’
The girl laughed, and nodded to the Snow-man, and
then they both danced away over the snow.
* Who were those two ? ’ a.sked the Snow-man of the
yard-dog. * You have been in this yard longer than I
have. Do you know who they are ? ’
*Do I know them indeed?’ answered the yard-dog.
* She has often stroked me, and he has given me bones.
I don’t bite either of them 1 ’
‘ But what arc they ? ’ asked the Snow-man.
* Lovers 1 ’ replied the yard-dog. ‘ They will go into
one kennel and gnaw the same bone 1 ’
*Are they the same kind of beings that %ve are?'
asked the Snow-man.
‘They are our masters/ answered the yard-dog.
* Eeally people who have only been in the world one day
know very little ! That's the conclusion I have come to.
Now 1 have age and wisdom ; I know everyone in the
house, and I can rernoiiiber a time when I was not
lying hero in a cold kennoL Bow-wow ! ’
* The cold is splendid,’ said the Snow-man, * Tell me
some more. But don’t rattle your chain so, it makes me
crack ! ’
* Bow-wow ! ’ barked the yard-dog. They used to
say I was a pretty little fellow ; then I lay in a velvet-
covered chair in my master’s house. My mistress used
to nurse me, and kiss and fondle nm, and call me her
dear, sweet little Alice ! But ^-and-by I grew too big,
and I was given to the houseke^er, and I went into the
kitchen. You can see into it from where you are standing ;
THE SNOW^MAN
51
you can look at the room in which I was master, for so I
was when I was with the housekeeper. Of course it was
a smaller place than upstairs, but it was more comfortable,
for I wasn’t chased about and teased by the children as I
had been before. My food was just as good, or even
better. I had my own pillow, and there was a stove there,
which at this time of year is the most beautiful thing in
the world. I used to creep right under that stove. Ah
me ! I often dream of that stove still ! Bow-wow 1 ’
‘ Is a stove so beautiful ? ’ asked the Snow-man. * Is
it anything like me ? ’
‘ It is just the opposite of you ! It is coal-black, and
has a long neck with a brass pipe. It eats firewood, so
that' fire spouts out of its mouth. One has to keep close
beside it — quite underneath is the nicest of all. You can
see it through the window from where you are standing.*
And the Snow-man looked in that direction, and saw a
smooth polished object with a brass pipe. The flicker
from the fire reached him across the snow. The Snow-
man felt wonderfully happy, and a feeling came over him
which he could not express ; but all those who are not
snow-men know about it.
* Why did you leave her ? * asked the Snow-man. He
had a feeling that such a being must be a lady. ‘ How
could you leave such a place ? ’
' I had to ! * said the yard-dog. ‘ They turned me out
of doors, and chained me up here. I had bitten the
youngest boy in the leg, because he took away the bone I
was gnawing ; a bone for a bone, I thought ! But they
were very angry, and from that time I have been chained
here, and I have lost my voice. Don’t you hear how
hoarse I am? Bow-wow ! I can’t speak like other dogs.
Bow-wow ! That was the end of happiness ! *
The Snow-man, however, was not listening to him any
more ; he was looking into the room where the house-
keeper lived, where the stove stood on its four iron legs,
and seemed to be just the same size as the Snow-man.
52
THE SHOW^MAN
"How somothiug is cracking inside irai ! ’ he said.
‘ Hhall I never !)e abit^ to ijjei in there? It is certainly a
very innocent wish* and our innocent wishes ought to be
fullilled. 1 must gtd^ thenn and lean against the stove, if
I have to break tlie window first ! ’
" You will never get inside there 1 ’ said the yard-dog ;
* and if you were to reach the stove you would disappear.
Bow-wow ! ’
‘ Tin as goo<l as gone' already 1 ’ uuswei*ed the Snow-
man, " I believe Tm breaking up! ’
The whole day the Snow-man looked through the
window ; towards dusk the room grmv still more inviting ;
the stove gave out a mild light, not at all like the moon or
even the sun ; no, as only a stove can shine, when it has
something to feed upon. When the door of the room was
open, it tlarctl up— this was one of its peculiarities; it
flickered quite reil upiUi tiie Snow-man’s white face.
*I can’t stand it any longer!* he said. " IIow
beautiful it looks with its tongiui stretched out like thatT
It was a long night, but the Bnow-man did not find it
so; there he stood, wrapt in his pleasant thoughts, and
they fro/.c, so tliat he cracked.
Next morning the. panes of the kitchen window werti
covered with ice, and the most lieatitiful ico-fiowers that
even a snow-man could ih^siro, only thc^y blotted out the
stove. The window would not open ; ho ct)ukln’t see the
stove which ho thought was such a lovedy lady. There
was a cracking and cracking inside him and all around ;
tbeto was just such a frost as a Bnow-man would delight
in. this Snow-man was different : how could ho feel
YYours is a bad illness for a Snow-man!’ said the
yard-dog. " I also suffered from it, but I have got ovtu*
it. Bow-wow r he barked. "The weather is going to
change 1 * he added.
The weather did change. There came a thaw.
When this set in the Bnow-man set off. He did not
TEU SEOW-MAN 53
say anything, and he did not complain, and those are bad
signs.
One morning he broke up altogether. And lo ! where
he had stood there remained a broomstick standing up-
right, round which the boys had built him !
‘ Ah ! now I understand why he loved the stove,’
said the yard-dog. ‘ That is the raker they use to clean
out the stove ! The Snow-man had a stove-raker in his
body ! That’s what was the matter with him 1 And now
it’s all over with him ! Bow-wow 1 ’
And before long it was all over with the winter too !
‘ Bow-w"OW ! ’ barked the hoarse yard-dog.
But the young girl sang :
Woods, your bright green garments don I
Willows, your woolly gloves put on !
Lark and cuckoo, daily sing —
February has brought the spring I
My heart joins in your song so sweet ;
Come out, dear sun, the world to greet 1
vAnd no one thought of the Snow-man.
64
THE SEUmCOLLAR^
Thkre was oncG a fine gentleman whose entire worldly
possessions consisted of a boot-jack and a hair-bmsh ;
but he had the most beautiful shirt-collar in the world,
and it is about this that wc are going to hear a story.
The shirt-collar was so old that ho began to think
about marrying ; and it happened one day that he and a
garter came into the wash-tub together.
* Hulloa ! ' said the shirt-collar, ‘ never before have I
seen anything so slim and delicate, so elegant and pretty !
May I l)e permitted to ask your name ? ’
‘ I shan’t tell you,’ said the garter.
' Where is the place of your abode ? ’ asked the shirt-
collar.
But the garter w'as of a bashful disposition, and did
not think it proper to answer.
^ Perhaps you are a girdle ? ’ said the shirt-collar an
under girdle ? for I see that you are for use as well as
for ornament, my pretty miss ! ’
^ You ought not to speak to mo 1 ’ said the garter ;
‘ I’m sure I haven’t given you any encouragement ! ’
‘When anyone isjis beautiful as you,’ said the shirt-
collar, ‘ is not that encouragement enough ? ’
' Go away, don’t come so close ! ’ said the garter.
^ You seem to bo a gentleman I ’
* Bo I am, and a very fine one too ! ’ said the shirt-
collar ; ‘ I possess a boot- jack and a hair-brush ! ’
* Translated from the German of Hans Christian Andersen,
THE SRIBT-COLLAB
55
That was not true; it was his master who owned
these things ; but he was a terrible boaster.
‘ Don’t come so close,’ said the garter. ‘ I’m not
accustomed to such treatment ! ’
‘What affectation!’ said the shirt-collar. And then
they were taken out of the wash-tub, starched, and hung
on a chair in the sun to dry, and then laid on the ironing-
board. Then came the glowing iron.
‘ Mistress widow ! ’ said the shirt-collar, ‘ dear mistress
widow 1 I am becoming another man, all my creases
are coming out ; you are burning a hole in me 1 Ugh 1
Stop, I implore you 1 ’
‘ You rag ! ’ said the iron, travelling proudly over the
shirt-collar, for it thought it was a steam-engine and
ought to be at the station drawing trucks.
‘ Eag I ’ it said.
The shirt-collar was rather frayed out at the edge, so
the scissors came to cut off the threads.
‘ Oh 1 ’ said the shirt-collar, ‘ you must be a dancer !
How high you can kick! That is the most beautiful
thing I have ever seen ! No man can imitate you 1 ’
^ I know that ! ’ said the scissors.
* You ought to be a duchess 1 ’ said the shirt-collar.
‘ My worldly possessions consist of a fine gentleman, a
boot- jack, and a hair-brush. If only I had a duchy 1 ’
‘ What 1 He wants to marry me ? ’ said the scissors,
and she was so angry that she gave the collar a sharp
snip, so that it had to be cast aside as good for nothing.
‘ Well, I shall have to propose to the hair-brush ! ’
thought the shirt-collar. ‘It is really wonderful what
fine hair you have, madam 1 HaVe you never thought of
marrying ? ’
‘Yes, that I have!’ answered the hair-brush; ‘I’m
engaged to the boot- jack ! ’
‘ Engaged 1 ’ exclaimed the shirt-collar. And now
there was no one he could marry, so he took to despising
matrimony.
56
THE SHIBT-COLLAR
Time passed, and the shirt-collar came in a rag-bag
to the paper-mill. There was a large assortment of rags,
the fine ones in one heap, and the coarse ones in another,
as they should be. They had all much to tell, but no
one more than the shirt-collar, for he was a hopeless
braggart.
‘ I have had a terrible number of love affairs ! ’ he
said. ‘They gave me no peace. I was such a fine
gentleman, so stiff' with starch ! I had a boot-jack and a
hair-brush, which I never used ! You should just have
seen me then ! Nevci’ shall I forgot my first love ! She
was a girdle, so delicate and soft and pretty ! She threw
herself into a wash-tub for my sake ! Then there was
a widow, who glowed with love for me. But I loft her
alone, till she became black. Then there was the dancer,
who inflicted the wound which has caused me to be here
now ; she was very violent ! My own hair-brush was in
love with me, and lost all her hair in consequence. Yes,
I have experienced much in that line ; but I grieve most
of all for the garter,-! mean, the girdle, who threw
herself into a wash-tub, I have much on ray conscience ;
it is high time for me to become white paper ! ’
And so ho did! he became white paper, the very
paper on which this story is printed. And that was
because ho had boasted so terribly about things which
were not true. We should take this to heart, so that it
may not happen to us, for we cannot indeed tell if wo
may not some day come to the rag-bag, and bo made
into white paper, on which will bo printed our whole
history, even the most secret parts, so that we too go
about the world relating it, like the shirt-collar.
TEE PRINCESS IN THE CHEST
Thebe were once a king and a queen who lived in Sr
beautiful castle, and had a large, and fair, and rich, and
happy land to rule over. From the very first they loved
each other greatly, and lived very happily together, but
they had no heir.
They had been married for seven years, but had.
neither son nor daughter, and that was a great giief to
both of them. More than once it hajDpened that when
the king was in a bad temper, he let it out on the poor
queen, and said that here they were now, getting old, and
neither they nor the kingdom had an heir, and it was all
her fault. This was hard to listen to, and she went and
cried and vexed herself.
Finally, the king said to her one day, * This can’t be
borne any longer. I go about childless, and it’s your fault.
I am going on a journey and shall be away for a year.
If you have a child when I come back again, all will be
well, and I shall love you beyond all measure, and never
more say an angry word to you. But if the nesc is just,
as empty when I come home, then I must part with you.’
After the king had set out on his journey, the queen
went about in her loneliness, and sorrow^ed and vexed
herself more than ever. At last her maid said to her one
day, ‘ I think that some help could be found, if your
majesty would seek it.’ Then she told about a wise old
woman in that country, who had helped many in troubles
’ Translated from the Danish.
58 THE PRINCESS IN THE CHEST
of the same kind, and could no doubt help the queen as
well, if she "would send for her. The queen did so, and
the wise woman came, and to her she confided her
sorrow, that she was childless, and the king and his
kingdom had no heir.
The wise woman knew help for this. ‘ Out in the
king’s garden,’ said she, ' under the great oak that stands
on the left hand, just as one goes out from the castle, is a
little bush, rather brown than green, wfith hairy leaves
and long spikes. On that bush there are just at this
moment three buds. If your majesty goes out there
alone, fasting, before sunrise, and takes the middle one
of the three buds, and eats it, then in six months you
will bring a princess into the world. As soon as she is
born, she must have a nurse, whom I shall provide, and
this nurse must live with the child in a secluded part of
the palace ; no other person must visit the child ; neither
the king nor the queen must see it until it is fourteen
years old, for that would cause great sorrow and mis-
fortune.’
The queen rewarded the old woman richly, and next
morning, before the sun rose, she was down in the
garden, found at once the little bush with the three buds,
plucked the middle one and ate it. It was sweet to
taste, but afterwards was as bitter as gall. Six months
after this, she brought into the world a little girl. There
was a nurse in readiness, whom the wise woman had
provided, and preparations were made for her living with
the child, quite alone, in a secluded wing of the castle,
looking out on the pleasure-park. The queen did as the
wise woman had told her ; she gave up the child im-
mediately, and the nurse took it and lived with it there.
When the king came home and heard that a daughter
had been born to him, he was of course very pleased and
happy, and wanted to see her at once.
The queen had then to tell him this much of the
story, that it had been foretold that it would cause
THE PRINCESS IN THE CHEST ' '59
sorrow and misfortune if either he or she got a sight of
the child until it had completed its fourteenth year.
This was a long time to wait. The king longed so
much to get a sight of his daughter, and the queen no less
than he, but she knew that it was not like other children,
for it could speak immediately after it was bom, and was
as wise as older folk. This the nurse had told her, for
with her the queen had a talk no"^ and again ’ but there
was no one else who had ever seen the princess. The
queen had also seen what the wise woman could do, so
she insisted strongly that her warning should be obeyed.
The king often lost his patience, and was determined to
see his daughter, but the queen always put him off the
60 TEE PBINGESS IN TEE GEEST
idea, and so things went on, until the very day before
the princess completed her fourteenth year.
The king and the queen were out in the garden then,
and the king said, ‘Now I can’t and I won’t wait any
longer. I must see my daughter at once. A few hours,
more or less, can’t make any difference.’
The queen begged him to have patience till the
morning. When they had waited so long, they could
surely wait a single day more. But the king was quite
unreasonable. ‘ No nonsense,’ said he ; ‘ she is just as
much mine as yours, and I will see her,’ and with that
he went straight up to her room.
He burst the door open, and pushed aside the nurse,
who tried to stop him, and there he saw his daughter.
She was the loveliest young princess, red and white, like
milk and blood, with clear blue eyes and golden hair,
but right in the middle of her forehead there was a little
tuft of brown hair.
The princess went to meet her father, fell on his neck
and kissed him, but with that she said, ‘ 0 father, father !
what have you done now? to-morrow I must die, and
you must choose one of three things : either the land
must be smitten by the black pestilence, or you must
have a long and bloody war, or you must, as soon as I
am dead, lay me in a plain wooden chest, and set it in
the church, and for a whole year place a sentinel beside
it every night.’ " , v‘
The king was frightened indeed, and thought she was
raving, but in order to please her, he said, ‘ Well, of these
three things I shall choose the last ; if you die, I shall
lay you at once in a plain wooden chest, and have it set
in the church, and every night I shall place a sentinel
beside it. But you shall not die, even if you are ill now.’
He immediately summoned all the best doctors in
the country, and they came with all their prescriptions
and their medicine bottles, but next day the princess was
stiff and cold m death. All the doctors could certify to
THE PRINCESS IN THE CHEST 61
that, and they all put their names to this and appended
their seals, and then they had done all they could.
The king kept his promise. The princess’s body was
lain the same day in a plain wooden chest, and set in
the chapel of the castle, and on that night and every
night after it, a sentinel was posted in the church, to
keep watch over the chest.
The first morning when they came to let the sentinel
out, there was no sentinel there. They thought he had
just got frightened and run away, and next evening a
new one Avas posted in the church. In the morning he
Avas also gone. So it went every night. When they
came in the morning to lot the sentinel out, there Avas no
one there, and it AA^as impossible to discoA^er which way
he had gone if he had run aAvay. And AA^hat should they
run aAvay for, every one of them, so that nothing more
was ever heard or seen of them, from the hour that they
Avere set on guard beside the princess’s chest ?
It became now a general belief that the princess’s
ghost Avalked, and ate up all those Avho were to guard
her chest, and very soon there was no one left who
Avould be placed on tliis duty, and the king’s soldiers
deserted the service, before their turn came to be ber
bodyguard. The king then promised a large reAvard to
the soldier who would \mlunteer for the post. This did
for some time, as there Avere found a feAV reckless felloAvs,
who Avished to earn this good payment. But they never
got it, for in the morning they too had disappeared like
the rest.
So it had gone on for something like a whole year ;
every night a sentinel had been placed beside the chest,
either by compulsion or of his own free will, but not a
single one of the sentinels was to be seen, either on the
following day or any time thereafter, And so it had also
gone with one, on the night before a certain day, when a
merry young smith came wandering to the town where
the king’s castle stood. It Avas the capital of the country,
62
THE PBINCESS IN THE CHEST
and people of every kind came to it to get work. This
smith, whose name was Christian, had come for that
same purpose. There was no work for him in the place
he belonged to, and he wanted now to seek a place in the
capital.
There he entered an inn where he sat down in the
public room, and got something to eat. Some under-
officers were sitting there, who were out to try to get
some one enlisted to stand sentry. They had to go in
this W’'ay, day after day, and hitherto they had always
succeeded in finding one or other reckless fellow. But
on this day they had, as yet, found no one. It was too
well known how all the sentinels disappeared, who were
set on that post, and all that they had got hold of had
refused with thanks. These sat down beside Christian,
and ordered drinks, and drank along with him. Now
Christian was a merry fellow who liked good company ;
he could both drink and sing, and talk and boast as well,
when he got a little drop in his head. He told these
under-officers that he was one of that kind of folk who
never are afraid of anything. Then he was just the kind
of man they liked, said they, and he might easily earn a
good penny, before he was a day older, for the king paid
a hundred dollars to anyone who would stand as sentinel
in the church all night, beside his daughter’s chest.
Christian was not afraid of that — he wasn’t afraid of
anything, so they drank another bottle of wine on this,
and Christian went with them up to the colonel, where
he was put into uniform, with musket, and all the rest,
and was then shut up in the church, to stand as sentinel
that night. •
It was eight o’clock when he took up his, post, and
for the first hour he was quite proud of his courage
during the second hour he was well pleased with the
large reward that he would get, but in the third hour,
when it was getting near eleven, the effects of the wnne
passed off, and he began to get uncomfortable, for he
mB PBINCBSS IN THB CHEST
63
had heard about this post ; that no one had ever escaped
alive from it, so far as was known. But neither did any-
one know what had become of all the sentinels. The
thought of this ran in his head so much, after the wine
was out of it, that he searched about everywhere for a
way of escape, and finally, at eleven o’clock, he found a
little postern in the steeple which was not locked, and
out at this he crept, intending to run away.
At the same moment as he put his foot outside the
church door, he saw standing before him a little man,
who said, ‘ Good evening, Christian, where are you
going ? ’
With that he felt as if he were rooted to the spot
and could not move.
' Nowhere,’ said he.
‘ Oh, yes,’ said the little man, ‘ You were just about to
run away, but you have taken upon you to stand sentinel
in the church to-night, and there you must stay.’
Christian said, very humbly, that he dared not, and
therefore wanted to get away, and begged to be let go.
‘No,’ said the little one, ‘you must remain at your
post, but I shall give you a piece of good advice ; you
shall go up into the pulpit, and remain standing there.
You need never mind what you see or hear, it will not be
able to do you any harm, if you remain in your place
until you hear the lid of the chest slam down again behind^'
the dead : then all danger is past, and you can go about
the church, wherever you please.’
The little man then pushed him in at the door again,
and locked it after him. Christian made haste to get up
into the pulpit, and stood there, without noticing anything,
until the clock struck twelve. Then the lid of the
princess’s chest sprang up, and out of it there came
something like the princess, dressed as you see in the
picture. It shrieked and howled, * Sentry, where are
you? Sentry, where aie you? If you don’t come, you
shall get the most cruel death anyone has ever got.’
64 TEE PBINGESS IN THE CHEST
It want all round the church, and when it finally-
caught sight of the smith, up in the pulpit, it came
rushing thither and mounted the steps. But it could not
get up the whole way, and for all that it stretched and
strained, it could not touch Christian, who meanwhile
stood and trembled up in the pulpit. When the clock
struck one, the appearance had to go back into the chest
again, and Christian heard the lid slam after it. After
this there was dead silence in the church. He lay down
where he was and fell asleep, and did not awake before
it was bright daylight, and he heard steps outside, and
the noise of the key being put into the lock. Then he
came down from the pulpit, and stood with his musket
in front of the princess’s chest.
It was the colonel himself who came with the patrol,
and he was not a little surprised when he found the
recruit safe and sound. He wanted to have a report, but
Christian would give him none, so he took him straight
up to the king, and announced for the first time that
here was the sentinel who had stood guard in the ehui-eh
over-night. The king immediately got out of bed, and
laid the hundred dollars for him on the table, and then
wanted to question him. ‘ Have you seen anything ? ’ said
he. ‘Have you seen my daughter?’ ‘ I have stood at
my post,’ said the young smith, ‘ and that is quite enough ;
I undertook nothing more.’ He was not sure whether
he dared tell what he had seen and heard, and besides he
was also a little conceited because he had done what no
^er man had been able to do, or had had courage for.
The Hng professed to be quite satisfied, and asked him
whether he would engage himself to stand on guard again
the foUowmg night. ‘ No, thank you,’ said Christian, ‘ I
Will nave no more of that 1 '
‘ As you please,’ said the king, < you have behaved like
a brave fehow, and now you shall have your breakfast,
to tom’ somethin^strengthen you after
p
a
66 TEE PBINCESS IN THE CHEST
The king had breakfast laid for him, and sat down at
the table with him in person ; he-kept constantly filling
his glass for him and praising Kim, and drinking his
health. Christian needed nopiressing, but did full justice
both to the food and drink, and not least to the latter.
Finally he grew bold, and said that if the king would give
him two hundred dollars for it, he was his man to stand
sentry next night as well.
When this was arranged, Christian bade him ' Good-
day,’ and went down among the guards, and then out
into the town along with other soldiers and under-officers.
He had his pocket full of money, and treated them, and
drank with them and boasted and made game of the
good-for-nothings who were afraid to stand on guard,
because they were frightened that the dead princess
would eat them. See whether she had eaten hivi ! So
the day passed in mirth and glee, but when eight o’clock
came, Christian was again shut up in the church, all
alone.
Before he had been there two hours, he got tired of it,
and thought only of getting away. He found a little door
behind the altar which was not locked, and at ten o’clock
he slipped out at it, and took to his heels and made for
^ the beach. He had got half-way thither, when all at once
the same little man stood in front of him and said, * Good
evening, Christian, where are you going ? ’ ‘ I've leave to go
where I please,’ said the smith, but at the same time he
noticed that he could not move a foot. *No, you have
undertaken to keep guard to-night as weU,’ said the little
man, ‘ and you must attend to that.’ He men took hold of
him, and, however unwilling he was, Christian had to go
with him right back to the same little door that he had
crept put at. When they got there, the little man said to
him, " Go in front of the altar now, and take in your hand
the book that is lying there. There you shall stay till you
hear the Kd of the chest slam down over the dead. In
that way you will come to no harm.’
THE PRINCESS IN THE CHEST
67
With that, the httle man shoved him in at the door,
and locked it. Christian then immediately went in front
of the altar, and took the book in his hand, and stood
thus until the clock struck twelve, and the appearance
sprang out of the chest. ‘ Sentry, where are you ? Sentry,
where are you ? ’ it shrieked, and then rushed to the pulpit,
and right up into it. But there was no one there that
night. Then it howled and shrieked again,
My father has set no sentry in,
War and Pest this night begin.
At the same moment, it noticed the smith standing in
front of the altar, and came rushing towards him. ^ Are
you there?’ it screamed; ‘now I’ll catch you.’ But it
could not come up over the step in front of the altar, and
there it continued to howl, and scream, and threaten,
until the clock struck one, when it had to go into the
chest again, and Christian heard the lid slam above it.
That night, however, it had not the same appearance as
on the previous one ; it was less ugly.
* When all was quiet in the church, the smith lay
down before the altar and slept calmly till the following
morning, when the colonel came to fetch him. He was
taken up to the king again, and things went as on the
day before. He got his money, but would give no
explanation whether he had seen the king’s daughter,
and he would not take the post again, he said. But after
he had got a good breakfast, and tasted well of the king’s
wines, he undertook to go on guard again the third night,
but he would not do it for less than the half of the king-
dom, he said, for it was a dangerous post, and the king had
to agree, and promise him this.
The remainder of the day went hke the previous one.
He played the boastful soldier, and the merry smith, and
he had comrades and boon-companions in plenty. At
eight o’clock he had to put on his uniform again, and was
shut up in the church. He had not been there for an
68 THE PBINGESS IN THE CHEST
hour before he had come to his senses, and thought, ‘ It’s
best to stop now, while the game is going well’ The
third night, he was sure, would be the worst ; he had
been drunk when he promised' it, and the half of the
kingdom, the king could never have been in earnest about
thdt ! So he decided to leave, without waiting so long as
on the previous nights. In that way he would escape
the little man who had watched him before. All the
doors and posterns were locked, but he finally thought
of creeping up to a window, and opening that, and as the
clock struck nine, he crept out there. It was fairly high
in the wall, but he got to the ground with no bones
broken, and started to run. He got down to the shore
without meeting anyone, and there he got into a boat,
and pushed off from land. He laughed immensely to
himself at the thought of how cleverly he had managed
and how he had cheated the little man. Just then he
heard a voice from the shore, ' Good evening, Christian,
where are you going ? ’ He gave no answer. ^ To-night
your legs will be too short,’ he thought, and puUed at the
' oars. But he then felt something lay hold of the boat,
and drag it straight in to shore, for all that he sat and
struggled with the oars.
The man then laid hold of him, and said, ‘ You must
remain at your post, as you have promised,’ and whether
he liked it or not, Christian had just to go back with him
the whole way to the church.
He could never get in at that window again, Christian
said ; it was far too high up.
^ You mmt go in there, and you shall go in there,’ said
the little man, and with that he lifted him up on to the
window-sill. Then he said to him: ‘Notice well now
what you have to do. This evening you must stretch
yourself out on the left-hand side of her chest. The lid
<^ns to ^e right, and she comes out* to the left. When
she has^ got out of the chest and passed over you, you
must get into it and lie there, and that in a hurry, without
TEE PBINCESS IN TEE GEEST 69
her seeing you. There you must remain lying until day
dawns, and whether she threatens or entreats you, you
must not come out of it, or give her any answer. Then
she has no power over you, and both you and she are
freed.’
The smith then had to go in at the window, just as he
came out, and went and laid himself all his length on the
left side of the princess’s chest, close up to it, and there
he lay as stiff as a rock until the clock struck twelve.
Then the lid sprang up to the right, and the princess
came out, straight over him, and rushed round the church,
howling and shrieking ‘ Sentry, where are you ? Sentry,
where are you?’ She went towards the altar, and
right up to it, but there was no one there; then she
screamed again.
My father has set no sentry in,
War and Pest will now begin.
Then she went round the whole church, both up and
down, sighing and weeping.
My father has set no sentry in,
War and Pest will now begin.
Then she went away again, and at the same moment the
clock in the tower struck' one.
Then the smith heard in the church a soft music,
which grew louder and louder, and soon filled the whole
building. He heard also a multitude of footsteps, as if
the church was being filled with people. He heard the
priest go through the service in front of the altar, and
there was singing more beautiful tKan he had ever heard
before. Then he also heard the priest offer up a prayer
of thanksgiving because the land had been freed from
war and pestilence, and from all misfortune, and the
king’s daughter was delivered from the evil one. Many
voices joined in, and a hymn of praise was sung ; then
he heard the priest again, and heard his own name and
THU PBIHCESS IN THE CHEST
JO
that of the princess, and thought that he was being
wedded to her. The church was packed full, but he
could see nothing. Then he heard again the many foot-
steps as of folk leaving the church, while the music
sounded fainter and fainter, until it altogether died away.
When it was silent, the light of day began to break in
through the windows.
The smith sprang up out of the chest and fell on his
knees and thanked God. The church was empty, but up
in front of the altar lay the princess, white and red, like
a human being, but sobbing and crying, and shaking with
cold in her white shroud. The smith took his sentry
coat and wrapped it round her ; then she dried her tears,
and took his hand and thanked him, and said that he had
now freed her from all the sorcery that had been in her
from her birth, and which had come over her again when
her father broke the command against seeing her until
she had completed her fourteenth year.
She said further, that if he who had delivered her
would take her in marriage, she would be his. If not,
she would go into a nunnery, and he could marry no
other as long as she lived, for he was wedded to her with
the service of the dead, which he had heard.
She was now the most beautiful young princess that
anyone could wish to see, and he was now lord of half
the kingdom, which had been promised him for standing
on guard the third night. So they agreed that they
would have each other, and love each other all their
days.
With the first sunbeam the watch came and opened
the church, and not Only was the. colonel there, but the
king in person, come to see what had happened to the
sentinel. He found them both sitting hand in hand on
the step imiront of the altar, and immediately knew his
daughter again, and took her in his arms, thanking God
md her deliverer. He made no objections to what they
had arranged, and so Christian the smith held his wedding
n THE PBINCESS IN THE CHEST
with the princess, and got half the kingdom at once, and
the whole of it when the king died.
- As for the other sentries, with so many doors and
windows open, no doubt they had run away, and gone
into the Prussian service. And as for what Christian
said he saw, he had been drinking more wine than was
goo(J for him.
73
THE THBEE BBOTHE&S^
Theee was once a man who had three sons,' and no
other possessions beyond the house in which he lived.
Now the father loved his three sons equally, so that he
could not make up his mind which of them should have
the house after his death, because he did not wish to
favour any one more than ^the others. And he did not
want to sell the house, because it had belonged 'to his
family for generations ; otherwise he could have divided
the money equally amongst them. At last an idea struck
him, and he said to his sons : ' You must all go out into
the world, and look about you, and each learn a trade,
and then, when you return, whoever oan produce the best
masterpiece shall have the house,’
The sons were quite satisfied. The eldest wished to
be a blacksmith, the second a barber, and the third a
fencing-master. They appointed a time when they were
to return home, and then they all set out.
It so happened that each found a good master, where
he learnt all that was necessary for his trade in the best
possible way. The blacksmith had to shoe the king’s
horses, and thought to himself, ** Without doubt the
house will be yours ! ’ The barber shaved the best men
in the kingdom, and he, too, made sure that the house
would be his. The fencing-master received many a blow,
but he set his teeth, and would not allow himself to be
%
’ Translated from the German of the Brothers Grimm.
74: THE THBEE BBOTHEliS
iroubled by them, for he tnonght to himself, ' If you are
afraid of a blow you will never get the house.’
When the appointed time had come the three
brothers met once more, and they sat down and discussed
the best opportunity of showing off their skill. Just then
a hare came running across the field towards them.
‘ Look ! ’ said the barber, ' here comes something in the
nick of time ! ’ seized basin and soap, made a lathei
whilst the hare was approaching, and then, as it ran at full
tilt, shaved its moustaches, without cutting it or injuring
a single hair on its body.
‘ I like that very much indeed,’ said the father.
‘ Unless the others exert themselves to the utmost, the
house will be yours.’
Soon after they saw a man driving a carriage furiously
towards them. 'Now, father, you shall see what I can
do 1 ’ said the blacksmith, and he sprang after the carriage,
tore off the four shoes of the horse as it was going at the
top of its speed, and shod it with four new ones without
checking its pace.
' You are a clever fellow ! ’ said the father, ' and know
your trade as well as your brother. I really don't know
to which of you I shall give the house.’
Then the third son said, 'Father, let me also show
you something ; ’ and, as it was beginning to rain, he di'ew
his sword and swung it in cross cuts above his head, so
that not a drop fell on him, and the rain fell heavier and
heavier, till at last it was coming down like a waterspout,
but he swung his sword faster and faster, and kept as
dry as if he were under cover.
When the father* saw this he was astonished, and
said, ' You have produced the greatest masterpiece : the
house is yours.'
Both the other brothers were quite satisfied, and
praised him too, and as they were so fond of each other
they all three remained at home and plied their trades ;
and as they were so experienced and skilful they earned
THE THREE BROTHERS 75
a great deal of money. So they lived happily together
till they were quite old, and when one was taken ill and
died the two others were so deeply grieved that they
were also taken ill and died too. And so, because they
had all been so clever, and so fond of each other, they
were all laid in one grave.
THE SNOW-QUEEN^
There was once a dreadfully wicked hobgoblin. One
day he was in capital spirits because he had made a
looking-glass which reflected everything that was good
and beautiful in such a way that it dwindled almost to
nothing, but anything that was bad and ugly stood out
very clearly and looked much worse. The most beautiful
landscapes looked like boiled spinach, and the best
people looked repulsive or seemed to stand on their heads
with no bodies; their faces were so changed that they
could not be recognised, and if anyone had a freckle you
might be sure it would be spread over the nose and
mouth.
That was the best part of it, said the hobgoblin.
But one day the looking-glass was dropped, and it
broke into a million-billion and more pieces.
And now came the greatest misfortune of all, for each
of the pieces was hardly as large as a grain of sand, and
they flew about all over the world, and if anyone had a
bit in his eye there it stayed, and then he would see
everything awry, or else could only see the bad sides of
a case. For every tiny splinter of the glass possessed
the same power that the whole glass had.
Some people got a splinter in their hearts, and that
was dreadful, for then it began to turn into a lump of ice.
The hobgoblin laughed till his sides ached, but still
the tiny bits of glass flew about.
' Translated from the German of Hans Andersen by Miss Alma
Alleyne.
77
TEE SNOW-QUEEN
And now we will hear all about it.
In a large town, where there were so many people and
houses that there was not room enough for everybody to
. V
have gardens, lived two poor children. They were not
brother and sister, but they loved each other just as much
as if they were. Their parents lived opposite one another
78
THE SNOW-QUEEN
in two attics, and out on the leads they had put two
boxes filled with flowers. There were sweet peas in it,
and two rose trees, which grew beautifully, and in
summer the two children were allowed to take their little
chairs and sit out under the roses. Then they had
splendid games.
In the winter they could not do this, but then they
put hot pennies against the frozen window-panes, and
made round holes to look at each other through.
His name was Kay, and hers was Gerda.
Outside it was snowing fast.
‘Those are the white bees swarming,’ said the old
grandmother.
‘ Have they also a queen bee ? ’ asked the little boy,
for he knew that the real bees have one.
‘To be sure,’ said the grandmother. ‘She flies
wherever they swarm the thickest. She is larger than
any of them, and never stays upon the earth, but flies
again up into the black clouds. Often at midnight she
flies through the streets, and peeps in at all the windows,
and then they freeze in such pretty patterns and look like
flowers.’
‘ Yes, we have seen that,’ said both children ; they
knew that it was true.
‘ Gan the Snow-queen come in here ? ’ asked the little
girl.
‘ J ust let her ! ’ cried the boy, ‘ I would put her on the
stove, and melt her 1 ’
But the grandmother stroked his hair, and told some
more stories.
In the evening, when little Kay was going to bed, he
jumped on the chair by the window, and looked through
the little hole. A few snow-flakes were falling outside,
and one of them, the largest, lay on the edge of one of the
window-boxes. The snow-flake grew larger and larger
tiU it took the form of a maiden, dressed in finest white
gauze.
THE SNOW-QUEEN
She was so beautiful and dainty, but all of ice, hard
bright ice.
Still she was alive ; her eyes glittered like two clear
stars, but there was no rest or peace in them. She
nodded at the window, and beckoned with her hand.
The little boy was frightened, and sprang down from the
chair. It seemed as if a groat white bird had flown past
the window.
The next day there was a harder frost than before.
Then came the spring, and then the summer, when the
roses grew and srnel i more beautifully than ever.
Kay and Gcrda \vere looking at one of their picture-
books— the clock in the great church-tower had just
struck five, when Kay exclaimed, ‘ Oh ! something has
stung my heart, and I’ve got something in my eye ! ’
The little girl threw her arms round his neck; he
winked hard with both his eyes ; no, she could see nothing
in them.
‘ I think it is goiiie now,” said ho ; but it had not gone.
It was one of the tii ly splinters of the glass of the magic
mirror which wo have heard about, that turned everything
groat and good roflcicted in it small and ugly. And poor
Kay had also a s^ilinter in his heart, and it began to
change into a lump of ice. It did not hurt him at all,
but the splinter wan there all the same.
‘ Why are you c rying '? ’ ho asked ; ‘ it makes you look
so ugly! There’s nothing the matter with me. ‘Just
look 1 that rose is nil slug-oaten, and this one is stunted !
What ugly roses they are ! ’
And ho began to^ull them to pieces.
‘•Kay, what are you doing? ’ cried the little girl.
And when ho saw how frightened she was, ho pulled
oil another rose, and ran in at his window away from dear
little Gcrda.
When she came later on with the picture book, he
said that it was only fit for babies, and when his grand-
mother told them storiesj he was always interrupting
THE SNOW^QUEEN
81
with, ‘ But — ’ and then he would get behind her and put
on her spectacles, and speak just as she did. This he did
very well, and everybody laughed. Very soon he could
imitate the way all the people in the street walked and
talked.
His games were now quite different. On a winter's
day he would take a burning glass and hold it out on his
blue coat and let the snow-flakes fall on it.
‘ Look in the glass, Gerda 1 Just see how regular they
are ! They are much more interesting than real flowers.
Each is perfect ; they are all made according to rule. If
only they did not melt ! '
One morning Kay came out with his warm gloves on,
and his little sledge hung over his shoulder. He shouted
to Gerda, ‘ I am going to the market-place to play with
the other boys,' and away he went.
In the market-place the boldest boys used often to
fasten their sledges to the carts of the farmers, and then
they got a good ride.
When they were in the middle of their games there
dr 9 ve into the square a large sledge, all white, and in it
sat a figure dressed in a rough white fur pelisse with a
white fur cap on.
The sledge drove twice round the square, and Kay
fastened his little sledge behind it and drove off. It went
quicker and quicker into the next street. The driver
turned round, and nodded to Kay in a friendly way as if
they had known each other before. Every time that Kay
tried to unfasten his sledge the driver nodded again, and
Kay sat still once more. Then they drove out of the town,
and the snow began to fall so thickly that the little boy
could not see his hand before him, and on and on they
went. He quickly unfastened the cord to get loose from
the big sledge, but it was of no use ; his little sledge hung
on fast, and it went on like the wind.
Then he cried out, but nobody heard him. He was
dreadfully frightened.
p a
82
TEE SNOW^QUEEN
The snowflakes grew larger and larger till they looked
like great white birds. All at once they flew aside, the
large sledge stood still, and the figure who w^as driying
stood up. The fur cloak and cap were all of snow. It
was a lady, tall and slim, and glittering. It was the
Snow-queen.
‘We have come at a good rate,’ she said; ‘but you
are almost frozen. Creep in under my cloak.’
And she set him close to her in the sledge and drew
the cloak over him. He felt as though he were sinking
into a snow-drift.
‘Are you cold now?’ she asked, and kissed his
forehead. The kiss was cold as ice and reached down to
his heart, which was already half a lump of ice.
‘My sledge ! Don’t forget my sledge ! ’ He thought
of that first, and it was fastened to one of the white birds
who flew behind wnth the sledg on its back.
The Snow-queen kissed Kay again, and then he forgot
all about little Gerda, his grandmother, and everybody at
home.
‘ Now I must not kiss you any more,’ she said, ‘ or
else I should kiss you to death.*
Then away they flew over forests and lakes, over sea
and land. Round them whistled the cold wind, the
wolves howled, and the snow hissed; over them flew
the black shrieking crows. But high up the moon shone
large and bright, and thus Kay passed the long winter
night. In the day he slept at the Snow-queen’s feet.
But what happened to little Gerda when Kay did not
come back ?
What had become of him? Nobody knew. The
other boys told how they had seen him fasten his sledge
on to a large one which had driven out of the town gate.
Gerda cried a great deal. The winter was long and
dark to her.
Then the spring came with warm sunshine. ‘ I will
go and look for Kay,’ said Gerda.
84
THE SNOW-QUEEN
So she went down to the river and got into a little
boat that was there. Presently the stream began to
carry it away.
'Perhaps the river will take me to Kay/ thought
Gerda. She glided down, past trees and fields, till she
came to a large cherry garden, in which stood a little
house with strange red and blue windows and a straw
roof. Before the door stood two wooden soldiers, who
were shouldering arms.
Gerda called to them, but they naturally did not
answer. The river carried the boat on to the land.
Gerda called out still louder, and there came out of
the house a very old woman. She leant upon a crutch,
and she wore a large sun-hat which was painted with the
most beautiful flowers.
' You poor little girl ! ’ said the old woman.
And then she stepped into the water, brought the
boat in close with her crutch, and lifted little Gerda out.
' And now come and tell me who you are, and how
you came here,’ she said.
Then Gerda told her everything, and asked her if she
had seen Kay, But she said he had not passed that way
yet, but he would soon come.
She told Gerda not to be sad, and that she should stay
with her and take of the cherry trees and flowers, which
were better than any picture-book, as they could each tell
a story.
She then took Gerda’s hand and led her into the little
house and shut the door.
The windows were very high, and the panes were
red, blue, and yellow, so that the light came through in
curious colours. On the table were the most delicious
cherries, and the old woman let Gerda eat as many as
she liked, while she combed her hair with a gold comb as
she ate.
The beautiful sunny hair rippled and shone round the
dear little face, which was so soft, and sweet. ' I have
THU SNOW-QUEEN
85
always longed to have a dear little gild just like you, and
you shall see how happy we will be together.’
And as she combed Gerda’s hair, Gerda thought less
and less about Kay, for the old woman was a witch, but
not a wicked witch, for she only enchanted now and then
to amuse herself, and she did want to keep little Gerda
very much.
So she went into the garden and waved her stick over
all the rose bushes and blossoms and all; they sank
down into the black earth, and no one could see where
they had been.
The old woman was afraid that if Gerda saw the
roses she would begin to think about her own, and then
would remember Kay and run away.
Then she led Gerda out into the garden. How
glorious it was, and what lovely scents filled the air ! All
the flowers you can think of blossomed there all the year
round.
Gerda jumped for joy and played there till the sun
set behind the tall cherry trees, and then she slept in a
beautiful bed with red silk pillows filled with violets, and
she slept soundly and dreamed as a queen does on her
wedding day.
The next day she played again with the flowers in the
warm sunshine, and so many days passed by. Gerda
knew every flower, but although there were so many, it
seemed to her as if one were not there, though she could
not remember which.
She was looking one day at the old woman’s sun-hat
which had the painted flowers on it, and there she saw a
rose.
The witch had forgotten to make that vanish when
she had made the other roses disappear under the earth.
It is so difficult to think of everything.
* Why, there are no roses here ! ’ cried Gerda, and she
hunted amongst all the flowers, but not one was to be
found. Then she sat down and cried, but her tears fell
86
THE SNOJV-QUEEN
just on the spot where a rose bush had sunk, and when
her warm tears watered the earth, the bush came up in
full bloom just as it had been be^re. Gerda kissed the
roses and thought of the lovely roies at home, and with
them came the thought of little Kay.
^ Oh, what have I been doing j^ ’ said the little girl. * I
wanted to look for Kay.’
She ran to the end of the garden. The gate was shut,
but she pushed against the rusty lock so that it came
open.
She ran out with her little bare feet. No one came
after her. At last she could not run any longer, and she
sat down on a large stone. When she looked round she
saw that the summer was over ; it was late autumn. It
had not changed in the beautiful garden, where were
sunshine and flowers all the year round.
* Oh, dear, how late I have made myself ! ’ said Gerda.
* It’s autumn already ! I cannot rest ! ’ And she sprang
up to run on.
Oh, how tired and sore her little feet grew, and it
became colder and colder.
Shv. had to rest again, and there on the snow in front
of her was a large crow.
It had been looking at' her for some time, and it
nodded its head and said, ' Caw ! caw ! good day.’
Then it asked the little girl why she was alone in the
world. She told the crow her story, and asked if he had
seen Kay,
The crow nodded very thoughtfully and said, ‘ It might
be ! It might be ! ’
‘What! Do you* think you have?’ cried the little
girl, and she almost squeezed the crow to death as she
kissed him.
‘ Gently, gently 1 ’ said the crow. * I think— I know
— ^I think — it might be little Kay, hut now he has
forgotten you for the princess ! ’
‘ Does he live with a princess ? ’ asked Gerda.
TEE SNOW-^QUEEN
87
' Yes, listen,’ said the crow.
Then he told all he knew.
‘ In the kingdom in which we are now sitting lives
a princess who is dreadfully clever. She has read all the
newspapers in the world and has forgotten them again.
She is as clever as that. The other day she came to the
throne, and that is not so pleasant as people think. Then
she began to say, Why should I not marry ? ” But she
wanted a husband who could answer when he was spoken
to, not one who would stand up stiffly and look re-
spectable — that would be too dull.
^ When she told all the Court ladies, they were
delighted. You can believe every word I say,' said the
crow. ‘ I have a tame sweetheart in the palace, and she
tells me everything.’
Of course his sweetheart was a crow.
‘ The newspapers came out next morning with a
border of hearts round it, and the princess’s monogram
on it, and inside you could read that every good-looking
young man might come into the palace and speak to the
princess, and whoever should speak loud enough to be
heard would be well fed and looked after, and the one
who spoke best should become the princess’s husband.
Indeed,’ said the crow, ‘ you can quite believe me. It is
as true as that I am sitting here.
‘ Young men came in streams, and there was such a
crowding and a mixing together 1 But nothing came of
it on the first nor on the second day. They could ah
speak quite well when they were in the street, but as soon
as they came inside the palace door, and saw the guards
in silver, and upstairs the footmen iii gold, and the great
hall all lighted up, then their wits left them ! And when
they stood in front of the throne where the princess was
sitting, then they could not think of anything to say
except to repeat the last word she had spoken, and she
did not much care to hear that again. It seemed as if
they were walking in their sleep until they came out
88 THE SNOW-QUEEN
into the street again, when they could speak once more.
There was a row stretching from the gate of the town up
to the castle.
‘ They were hungry and thirsty, but in the palace they
did not even get a glass of water.
‘ A few of the cleverest had brought some slices of
bread and butter with them., but they did not share them
with their neighbour, for they thought, “ If he looks
hungry, the princess will not take him ! ” ’
‘ But what about Kay ? ’ asked Gerda. ‘ When did
he come ? Was he in the crowd ? ’
‘ Wa,it a bit; we are coming to him ! On the third
day a little figure came without horse or carriage and
walked jauntily up to the palace. His eyes shone as
yours do; he had lovely curling hair, but quite poor
clothes.’
‘ That was Kay ! ’ cried Gerda with delight. ‘ Oh, then
I have found him ! ’ and she clapped her hands.
‘ He had a little bundle on his back,’ said the crow,
must have been his skates, for he went away
with his skates ! ’
‘ Very likely,’ said the crow, ‘ I did hot see for certain.
But I know this from my sweetheart, that when he came
to the palace door and saw the royal guards in silver, and
on the stairs the footmen in gold, he was not the least
bit put out. He nodded to them, saying, “ It must be
rather dull standing on the stairs ; I would rather so
’'inside!” ^
‘ The halls blazed with lights ; councillors and ambass-
adors were walking about in noiseless shoes carrying
gold dishes. It was enough to make one nervous I His
boots creaked dreadfully loud, but he was not frightened.’
; That must be Kay 1 ’ said Gerda. ‘ I know he had
new boots on ; I have heard them creaking in his
grandmother’s room ! ’
‘ They dfd creak, certainly I ’ said the crow. ‘ And, not
>one bit afraid, up he went to the princess, who was
THE SNOW-QUEEN 8g
a spinning wheel.
AU the ladies-in-waiting were standing round, each with
their attendants, and the lords-in-waiting with their
attendants. The nearer they stood to the door the
prouder they were.'
< A dreadful ! ’ said little Gerda.
And Kay did win the princess ? ’
I heard from my tame sweetheart that he was
merry and quick-witted; he had not come to woo, he
said, but to hsten to the princess’s wisdom. And the
end of it was that they fell in love with each other.’
90
THE SNOW-QUHEN
‘ Oh, yes ; that was Kay 1 ’ said Gerda. ' He was so
clever ; he could do sums with fractions. Oh, do lead
me to the palace ! ’
' That’s easily said ! ’ answered the crow, ‘ but how
are we to manage that? I must talk it over with my
tame sweetheart. She may be able to advise us, for I
must tell you that a little girl like you could never get
permission to enter it.’
‘ Yes, I will get it ! ’ said Gerda. ' When Kay hears
that I am there he will come out at once and fetch me ! ’
‘ Wait for me by the railings,’ said the crow, and he
nodded his head and flew away.
It was late in the evening when he came back.
‘ Caw, caw ! ’ he said, ‘ I am to give you her love,
and here is a little roll for you. She took it out of the
kitchen ; there’s plenty there, and you must be hungry.
You cannot come into the palace. The guards in silver
and the footmen in gold would not allow it. But don’t
cry ! You shall get in all right. My sweetheart knows
a little back-stairs which leads to the sleeping-room, and
she knows where to find the key.’
They went into the garden, and when the lights in
the palace were put out one after the other, the crow led
Gerda to a back-door.
Oh, how Gerda’s heart beat with anxiety and longing !
It seemed as if she were going to do something wrong,
but she only wanted to know if it were little Kay. Yes,
it must be he ! She remembered so well his clever eyes,
his curly hair. She could see him smiling as he did
when they were at home under the rose trees ! He
would be so pleased to see her, and to hear how they
all were at home.
Now they were on the stairs; a little lamp was
burning, and on the landing stood the tame crow. She
put her head on one side and looked at Gerda, who bowed
as her grandmother had taught her.
' My betrothed has told me many nice things about
THE SNOW-QUEEN
91
you, my dear young lady,’ she said. ' Will you take the
lamp while I go in front? We go this way so as to
meet no one.’
Through beautiful rooms they came to the sleeping-
room. In the middle of it, hung on a thick rod of gold,
were two beds, shaped like lilies, one all white, in which
lay the princess, and the other red, in which Gerda hoped
to find Kay, She pushed aside the curtain, and saw a
brown neck. Oh, it was Kay ! She called his name oul
loud, holding the lamp towards him.
He woke up, turned his head and — it was not Kay !
It was only his neck that was like Kay’s, but he was
young and handsome. The princess sat up in her lily-
bed and asked who was there.
Then Gerda cried, and told her story and all that the
crows had done.
^ You poor child ! ’ said the prince and princess, and
they praised the crows, and said that they were not
angry with them, but that they must not do it again.
Now they should have a reward.
‘ Would you like to fly away free? ’ said the princess,
' or will you have a permanent place as court crows with
what you can get in the kitchen ? ’
And both crows bowed and asked for a permanent
appointment, for they thought of their old age.
And they put Gerda to bed, and she folded her hands,
thinking, as she fell asleep, ‘ How good people and
animals are to me 1 ’
The next day she was dressed from head to foot in
silk and satin. They wanted her to stay on in the palace,
but she begged for a little carriage* and a horse, and a
pair of shoes so that she might go out again into the
world to look for Kay.
They gave her a muff as well as some shoes ; she was
warmly dressed, and when she was ready, there in front
of the door stood a coach of pure gold, with a coachman,
footmen and postilions with gold crowns on.
92
THE SNOW-QUEEN
The prince and princess helped her into the carriage
and wished her good luck.
The wild crow who was now married drove with her
for the first three miles ; the other crow could not come
because she had a bad headache,
‘ Good-bye, good-bye ! ’ called the prince and princess ;
and little Gerda cried, and the crow cried.
When he said good-bye, he flew on to a tree and
waved with his black wings as long as the carriage, which
shone like the sun, was in sight.
They came at last to a dark wood, but the coach lit it
up like a torch. When the robbers saw it, they rushed
out, exclaiming ^ Gold ! gold ! ’
They seized the horses, killed the coachman, footmen
and postilions, and dragged Gerda out of the carriage.
‘ She is plump and tender ! I will eat her ! ’ said the
old robber-queen, and she drew her long knife, which
glittered horribly.
* You shall not kill her ! ’ cried her little daughter.
‘ She shall play with me. She shall give me her muff
and her beautiful dress, and she shall sleep in my
bed.’
The little robber-girl was big as Gerda, but was
stronger, broader, with dark hair and black eyes. She
threw her arms round Gerda and said, ' They shall not
kill you, so long as you are not naughty. Aren’t you a
princess ? ’
‘ No,’ said Gerda, and she told all that had happened
to her, and how dearly she loved little Kay.
The robber-girl looked at her very seriously, and
nodded her head, saying, ^ They shall not kill you, even
if you are naughty, for then I will kill you myself ! ’
And she dried Gerda’s eyes, and stuck both her hands
in the beautiful warm muff.
The little robber-girl took Gerda to a corner of the
robbers’ camp where she slept.
All round were more than a hundred wood-pigeons
m
TEE SXOW^QUEEN
which seemed to be asleep, but they moved a little when
the two girls came up.
There was also, near by, a reindeer which the robber-
girl teased by tickling it with her long sharp knife.
Gerda lay awake for some time.
‘ Coo, coo I ’ said the wood-pigeons. ‘ W e have sern
little Kay. A white bird carried his sledge ; he was
sitting in the Snow-queen’s carriage which drtivt^ over
the forest when our little ones w^cre in the nest* Kht*
breathed on them, and all except we two died. Coo,
coo ! ’
'What are you saying over there?’ cried Gerda.
'Where was the Snow-queen going to? Do you know
at all ? ’
' She \vas probably travelling to Ijapland, where there
is always ice and snow. Ask the reindeer.’
' There is capital ice and snow there 1 * said ihet
reindeer. ' One can jump about there in the great spark-
ling valleys. There the Snow-queen has her sunnner
palace, but her best palace is up by the North on
the island called Spitsbergen.’
”' 0 Kay, my little Kay ! ’ so])bed Gerda.
' You must lie still ! ’ said the little robber-girl, ' or
else I shall stick my knife into you 1 ’
In the morning Gerda told her all that the wood-
pigeons had said. She nodded. ' Do you know where
Lapland is ? ’ she asked the reindeer.
' Who should know better than i ? ’ said tlui beast, and
his eyes sparkled. ' I was born and bred there on the
snow-fields.’
' Listen ! ’ said the robber-girl to Gerda ; ' yoti see that
all the robbers have gone; only my mother is ioft, ami
she will fall asleep in the afternoon-*- thou I willtio Home*
thing for you ! '
When her mother had fallen asleep, the robber-girl
went up to the reindeer and said, ' I am going to set you
free so that you can run to Lapland. jBut you must go
94
THE SNOW-QUEEN
\juicMy and carry this little girl to the Snow-queen's
palace, where her playfellow is. You must have heard
all that she told about it, for she spoke loud enough ! ’
The reindeer sprang high for joy. The robber-girl
lifted little Gerda up, and had the foresight to tie her on
firmly, and even gave her a little pillow for a saddle.
‘ You must have your fur boots,’ she said, ‘ for it will be
cold ; but I shall keep your muff, for it is so cosy ! But, so
that you may not freeze, here are my mother’s great fur
gloves ; they will come up to your elbows. Creep into
them I ’
And Gerda cried for joy.
' Don’t make such faces I ’ said the little robber-girl.
‘ You must look very happy. And here are two loaves
and a sausage ; now you won’t be hungry ! ’
They were tied to the reindeer, the little robber-girl
opened the door, made all the big dogs come away, cut
through the halter with her sharp knife, and said to the
reindeer, ' Eun now ! But take great care of the little
girl.’
And Gerda stretched out her hands with the large fur
gloves towards the little robber-girl and said, * Good-bye 1 ’
Then the reindeer flew over the ground, through the
great forest, as fast as he could.
The wolves howled, the ravens screamed, the sky
seemed on fire.
'Those are my dear old northern lights,’ said the
reindeer ; ‘ see how they shine I ’
And then he ran faster still, day and night.
The loaves were eaten, and the sausage also, and then
they came to Laplahd.
They stopped by a wretched little house ; the roof
almost touched the ground, and the door was so low that
you had to creep in and out.
There was no one in the house except an old Lapland
woman who was cooking fish over an oil-lamp. The
reindeer told Gerda’s whole history, but first he told his
96
THE SNOW^QUEEH
own, for that seemed to him much more important, and
Gerda was so cold that she could not speak.
* Ah, you poor creatures ! ’ said the Lapland woman ;
‘ you have still further to go ! You must go over a
hundred miles into Finland, for there the Snow-queen
lives, and every night she burns Bengal lights. I will
write some words on a dried stock-fish, for I have no
paper, and you must give it to the Finland woman, for she
can give you better advice than I can.’
And when Gerda was warmed and had had something
to eat and drink, the Lapland woman wrote on a dried
stock-fish, and begged Gerda to take care of it, tied Gerda
securely on the reindeer’s back, and away they went
again.
The whole night was ablaze with northern lights, and
then they came to Finland and knocked at the Finland
woman’s chimney, for door she had none.
Inside it was so hot that the Finland woman wore
very few clothes ; she loosened Gerda’ s clothes and drew
off her fur gloves and boots. She laid a piece of ice on
the reindeer’s head, and then read what was written on
the stock-fish. She read it over three times till she knew
it by heart, and then put the fish in the saucepan, for she
never wasted anything.
Then the reindeer told his story, and afterwards little
Gerda’s, and the Finland woman blinked her eyes but
said nothing.
'You are very clever,’ said the reindeer, 'I know.
Cannot you give the little girl a drink so that she may
have the strength of twelve men and overcome the Snow-
queen ? ’
‘The strength of twelve men!’ said the Finland
woman ; ‘ that would not help much. Little Kay is with
the Snow-queen, and he likes everything there very much
and thinks it the best place in the world. But that is
because he has a splinter of glass in his heart and a bit
in his eye. If these do not come out, he will never be
THE SNOW-QUEEN 97
free, and the Snow-queen will keep her power over
him/
‘ But cannot you give little Gerda something so that
she can have power over her ? ’
‘ I can give her no greater power than she has
already ; don’t you see how great it is ? Don’t you see
how men and beasts must help her when she wanders
into the wide world with her bare feet ? She is powerful
akeady, because she is a dear little innocent child. If
she cannot by herself conquer the Snow-queen and take
away the glass splinters from little Kay, loe cannot help
her ! The Snow-queen’s garden begins two miles from
here. You can carry the little maiden so far ; put her
down by the large bush with red berries growing in the
snow. Then you must come back here as fast as you
can.’
Then the Finland woman lifted little Gerda on the
reindeer and away he sped,
^ Oh, I have left my gloves and boots behind ! ’ cried
Gerda. She missed them in the piercing cold, but the
reindeer did not dare to stop. On he ran till he came to
the bush with red berries. Then he set Gerda down and
kissed her mouth, and great big tears ran down his
cheeks, and then he ran back. There stood poor Gerda
without shoes or gloves in the middle of the bitter cold
of Finland.
She ran on as fast as she could. A regiment of
gigantic snowflakes came against her, but they melted
when they touched her, and she went on with fresh
courage.
And now we must see what Kay was doing. He was
not thinking of Gerda, and never dreamt that she was
standing outside the palace.
The walls of the palace were built of driven snow, and
the doors and windows of piercing winds.
There were more than a hundred halls in it all of
frozen snow. The largest was several miles long; the
pc H
98
ms smW-QUEE2^
bright Northern lights lit them np, and very large and
empty and cold and glittering they were ! In the middle
of the great hall was a frozen lake which had cracked in
a thousand pieces ; each piece was exactly like the other.
Here the Snow-queen used to sit when she was at home.
Little Kay was almost blue and black with cold, but
he did not feel it, for she had kissed away his feelings and
his heart was a lump of ice.
He was pulling about some sharp, flat pieces of ice,
and trying to fit one into the other. He thought each
was most beautiful, but that was because of the splinter
of glass in his eye. He fitted them into a great many
shapes, but he wanted to make them spell the word
* Love.’ The Snow-queen had said, * If you can spell out
that word you shall be your own master. I will give you
the whole world and a new pair of skates.'
But he could not do it.
‘ Now I must fly to warmer countries,’ said the Snow-
queen. * I must go and powder my black kettles ! ’
(This was what she called Mount Etna and Mount
Vesuvius.) Ht does the lemons and grapes good.’
And off she flew, and Kay sat alone in the great hall
trying to do his puzzle.
He sat so still that you would have thought he was
frozen.
Then it happened that little Gerda stepped into the
hall. The biting cold winds became quiet as if they had
fallen asleep when she appeared in the great, empty,
freezing hall. '
She caught sight of Kay; she recognised him, ran
and put her arms <.round his neck, crying, ^ Kay I (iear
little Kay ! I have found you at last ! ’
But he sat quite still and cold. Then Gerda wept
hot tears which fell on his neck and thawed his heart and
swept away the bit of the looking-glass. He looked at
her and then he burst into tears. He cried so much that
the glass splinter swam out of his eye ; then he knew
THE SNOW-QUEEN 99
her, and cried out, ^ Gerda ! dear little Gerda ! Where
have you been so long ? and where have I been ? ’
And he looked round him.
‘ How cold it is here ! How wide and empty ! ’ and
he threw himself on Gerda, and she laughed and wept
wm
for joy. It was such a happy time that the pieces of ice
even danced round them for joy, and when they were
tired and lay down again they formed themselves into
the letters that the Snow-queen had said he must spell
in order to become his own master and have the whole
world and a new pair of skates.
100
THE SNOW-QUEEN
And Gerda kissed his cheeks and they grew rosy ; she
kissed his eyes and they sparkled like hers ; she kissed
his hands and feet and he became warm and glowing.
The Snow-queen might come home now ; his release —
the word " Love ’ — stood written in sparkling ice.
They took each other’s hands and wandered out of
the great palace ; they talked about the grandmother and
the roses on the leads, and wherever they came the winds
hushed and the sun came out. When they reached the
bush with red berries there stood the reindeer waiting
for them.
He carried Kay and Gerda first to the Finland
woman, who warmed them in her hot room and gave
them advice for their journey home.
Then they went to the Lapland woman, who gave
them new clothes and mended their sleigh. The reindeer
ran with them till they came to the green fields fresh
with the spring green. Here he said good-bye.
They came to the forest, which was bursting into bud,
and out of it came a splendid horse which Gerda knew ;
it was one which had drawn the gold, coach ridden by a
young girl with a red cap on and pistols in her belt.
It was the little robber girl who was tired of being at
home and wanted to go out into the world. She and
Gerda knew each other at once.
‘ You are a nice fellow ! ’ she said to Kay. ‘ I should
like to know if you deserve to be run after axl over the
world 1 ’
But Gerda patted her cheeks and asked after the
prince and-princess.
‘ They are travelling about,’ said the robber girl.
* And the crow ? ’ asked Gerda.
* Oh, the crow is dead ! ’ answered the robber girl.
‘ His tame sweetheart is a widow and hops about with a
bit of black crape round her leg. She makes a great
fuss, but it’s all nonsense. But tell me what happened
to you, and how you caught him.’
THE SHOW-QUEEN lOi
And Kay and Garda told her all.
‘Dear dear ! ’ said the robber girl, shook both their
hands, and promised that if she came to their town she
woidd come and see them. Then she rode on
IV, v""* “ hand. There
beS Tut^^h^ grandmother and everything just as it had
102
THE FIB^TBEE^
Thebe was once a pretty little fir-tree in a wood. It was
in a capital position, for it could get sun, and there was
enough air, and all around gi‘ew many tall companions,
both pines and firs. The -little fir-tree’s greatest desire
was to grow up. It did not heed the warm sun and the
fresh air, or notice the little peasant children who ran
about chattering when they came out to gather wild
strawberries and raspberries. Often they found a whole
basketful and strung strawberries on a straw ; they
would sit down by the little fir-tree and say, ‘ What a
pretty little one this is ! * The tree did not like that at all.
By the next year it had grown a whole ring taller,
and the year after that another ring more, for you can
always tell a fir-tree’s age from its rings.
^ Oh ! if I were only a great tree like the others ! '
sighed the little fir-tree, * then I could stretch out my
branches far and wide and look out into the great w^orld !
The birds would build their nests in my branches, and
when the wind blew I would bow to it politely just like
the others ! ’ It took no pleasure in the sunshine, nor in
the birds, nor in the rose-coloured clouds that sailed over
it at dawn and at sunset. Then the winter came, and
the snow lay white and sparkling all around, and a hare
would come and spring right over the little fir-tree,
which annoyed it very much. But when two more
winters had passed the fir-tree was so tall that the hare
* Translated from the German of Hans Christian Andersen.
THE FIBHBEE
103
had to run round it. ‘ Ah ! to grow and grow, and
become great and old ! that is the only pleasure in life,’
thought the tree. In the autumn the woodcutters used
to come and hew some of the tallest trees ; this happened
every year, and the young fir-tree would shiver as the
magnificent trees fell crashing and crackling to the
ground, their branches hewn off, and the great trunks
left bare, so that they were almost unrecognisable. But
then they were laid on waggons and dragged out of the
wood by horses. ‘Where are they going? What will
happen to them ? ’
In spring, when the swallows and storks came, the
fir-tree asked them, ‘ Do you know where they were
taken ? Have you met them ? ’
The swallows knew nothing of them, but the stork
• nodded his head thoughtfully, saying, ‘ I think I know.
I met many new ships as I flew from Egypt ; there
were splendid masts on the ships. I’ll wager those were
they ! They had the scent of fir-trees. Ah ! those are
grand, gi’and 1 '
‘ Oh ! if I were only big enough to sail away over the
sea too 1 What sort of thing is the sea ? what does it
look like ? ’
‘ Oh ! it would take much too long to tell you all
that/ said the stork, and off he went.
‘Bejoicein your youth,’ said the sunbeams, ‘rejoice
in the sweet growing time, in the young life within you.’
And the wind kissed it and the dew wept tears over it,
but the fir-tree did not understand.
Towards Christmas-time quite little trees were cut
down, some not as big as the young fir-tree, or just the
same age, and now it had no peace or rest for longing to
be away. These little trees, which were chosen for theii
beauty, kept all their branches ; they were put in carts
and drawn out of the wood by horses.
‘ Whither are those going ? ’ asked the fir-tree ; ‘ they
are no bigger than I, and one there was much smaller
104
TUB FIB-TREE
even ! Why do they keep their branches ? Where are
they taken to ? ’
' We know ! we know ! ’ twittered the sparrows.
‘Down there in the city we have peeped in at the
windows, we know where they go 1 They attain to the
greatest splendour and magnificence you can imagine !
We have looked in at the windows and seen them
planted in the middle of the warm room and adorned
with the most beautiful things — golden apples, sweet-
meats, toys and hundreds of candles.’
‘ And then ? ’ asked the fir-tree, trembling in every
limb with eagerness, ‘ and then ? what happens then ? ’
^ Oh, we haven’t seen anything more than that. That
was simply matchless ! ’
‘ Am I too destined to the same brilliant career ? ’
wondered the fir-tree excitedly. ‘ That is even better
than sailing over the sea ! I am sick with longing. If
it were only Christmas ! Now I am tall and gi’own-up
like those which were taken away last year. Ah, if I
were only in the cart ! If I were only in the warm room
with all the splendour and magnificence ! And then ?
Then comes something better, something still more
beautiful, else why should they dress us up? There
must be something greater, something grander to come —
but what ? Oh ! I am pining away I I really don’t
know what’s the matter with me ! ’
‘ Eejoice in us,’ said the air and sunshine, ‘rejoice in
your fresh youth in the free air ! ’
But it took no notice, and just grew and grew ; there
it stood fresh and green in winter and in summer, and
all who saw it said," ‘ What a beautiful tree ! ’ And at
Christmas-time it was the first to be cut down. The axe
went deep into the pith ; the tree fell to the ground with
a groan ; it felt bruised and faint. It could not think of
happiness, it was sad at leaving its home, the spot where
it had sprung up ; it knew, too, that it would never see
again its dear old companions, or the little shrubs and
THE FIB-TBEE
flowers, perhaps not even the birds,
parting was not pleasant.
When the tree came to itself again it was packed in a
yard with other trees, and a man was saying, ‘ This is a
splendid one, we shall only want this.’
Then came two footmen in livery and carried the fir-
tree into a large and beautiful room. There were pic-
tures hanging upon the walls, and near the Dutch stove
stood great Chinese vases with lions on their lids ; there
were armchairs, silk-covered sofas, big tables laden with
picture-books and toys, worth hundreds of pounds— at
least, so the children said. The fir-tree was placed in a
great tub filled with sand, but no one could see that it
was a tub, for it was all hung with greenery and stood
on a gay carpet. How the tree trembled ! What was
coming now ? The young ladies and the servants decked
it out. On its branches they hung little nets cut out
of coloured paper, each full of sugarplums ; gilt apples
and nuts hung down as if they were growing, and over a
hundred red, blue, and white tapers were fastened among
the branches. Dolls as life-like as human beings — the
fir-tree had never seen any before — were suspended
among the green, and right up at the top was fixed a gold
tinsel star ; it was gorgeous, quite unusually gorgeous !
‘ To-night,’ they all said, ‘ to-night it will be lighted ! ’
' Ah ! ’ thought the tree, ‘ if it were only evening !
Then the tapers would soon be lighted. What will
happen then? I wonder whether the trees will come
from the wood to see me, or if the sparrows will fly
against the window panes ? Am I to stand here decked
out thus through winter and summer? ’
It was not a bad guess, but the fir-tree had real bark-
ache from sheer longing, and bark-ache in trees is just as
bad as head-ache in human beings.
Now the tapers were lighted. What a glitter I What
splendour! The tree quivered in all its branches so
much, that one of the candles caught the green, and
106 TEE FIB-TBEE
singed it. ' Take care 1 ’ cried the young ladies, and they
extinguished it.
Now the tree did not even dare to quiver. It was
really terrible! It was so afraid of losing any of its
ornaments, and it was quite bewildered by all the radiance.
And then the folding doors were opened, and a crowd
of children rushed in, as though they wanted to knock
down the whole tree, whilst the older people followed
soberly. The children stood quite silent, but only for a
moment, and then they shouted again, and danced round
the tree, and snatched off one present after another.
‘ What are they doing ? ’ thought the tree. ‘ What is
going to happen ? ’ And the tapers burnt low on the
branches, and were put out one by one, and then the
children were given permission to plunder the tree. They
rushed at it so that all its boughs creaked ; if it had not
been fastened by the gold star at the top to the ceiling, it
would have been overthrown.
The children danced about with their splendid toys,
and no one looked at the tree, except the old nurse, who
came and peeped amongst the boughs, just to see if a fig
or an apple had been forgotten.
‘ A story ! a story ! ’ cried the children, and dragged a
little stout man to the tree ; he sat down beneath it, saying,
' Here we are in the greenwood, and the tree will be
delighted to listen ! But I am only going to tell one
story. Shall it be Henny Penny or Humpty Dumpty
who fell downstairs, and yet gained great honour and
married a princess ? ’
' Henny Penny ! ’ cried some : ‘ Humpty Dumpty ! ’
cried others ; there was a perfect babel of voices I Only
the fir-tree kept silent, and thought, ‘ Am I not to be in
it ? Am I to have nothing to do with it ? ’
But it had aheady been in it, and played out its part.
And the man told them about Humpty Dumpty who fell
downstairs and married a princess. The children clapped
their hands and cried, ‘ Another ! another ! ' They wanted
THE FIR^TREE
107
the story of Henny Penny also, but they only got Humpty
Dumpty. The fir-tree stood quite astonished and thought-
ful : the birds in the wood had never related anything like
that. ‘ Humpty Dumpty fell downstairs and yet married
a princess ! yes, that is the way of the world ! ’ thought
the tree, and was sure it must be true, because such a
nice man had told the story. ‘ Well, who knows ? Per-
haps I shall fall downstairs and marry a princess.’ And
it rejoiced to think that next day it would be decked out
again with candles, toys, glittering ornaments, and fruits.
‘ To-morrow I shall quiver again with excitement. I
shall enjoy to the full all my splendour. To-morrow I
shall hear Humpty Dumpty again, and perhaps Henny
Penny too.’ And the tree stood silent and lost in thought
all through the night.
Next morning the servants came in. * Now the
dressing up will begin again,’ thought the tree. But they
dragged it out of the room, and up the stairs to the
lumber-room, and put it in a dark corner, where no ray
of light could penetrate. ^ What does this mean ? ’ thought
the tree. ^ What am I to do here ? What is there for
me to hear ? ’ And it leant against the wall, and thought
and thought. And there was time enough for that, for
days and nights went by, and no one came ; at last when
some one did come, it was only to put some great boxes
into the corner. Now the tree was quite covered; it
seemed as if it had been quite forgotten.
‘Now it is winter out-doors,’ thought the fir-tree.
‘ The ground is hard and covered with snow, they can’t
plant me yet, and that is why I am staying here under
cover till the spring comes. How thoughtful they are !
Only I wish it were not so terribly dark and lonely here ;
not even a little hare ! It was so nice out in the wood,
when the snow lay all around, and the hare leapt past
me ; yes, even when he leapt over me : but I didn’t like
it then. It’s so dreadfully lonely up here.’
‘ Squeak, squeak ! ’ said a little mouse, stealing out,
108
THE FIB-TBEE
followed by a second. They sniffed ati the fir-tree, and
then crept between its boughs. ‘ It’s frightfully cold,’
said the little mice. ' How nice it is to be here ! Don’t
you think so too, you old fir-tree ? ’
" I’m not at all old,’ said the tree ; ‘ there are many
much older than I am.’
‘ Where do you come from ? ’ asked the mice, ' and
what do you know ? ’ They were extremely inquisitive.
' Do tell us about the most beautiful place in the world.
Is that where you come from ? Have you been in the
storeroom, where cheeses lie on the shelves, and hams
hang from the ceiling, where one dances on tallow
candles, and where one goes in thin and comes out fat ? ’
^ I know nothing about that,’ said the tree. * But I
know the wood, where the sun shines, and the birds sing.’
And then it told them all about its young days, and the
little mice had never heard anything like that before, and
they listened with all their ears, and said : ‘ Oh, how
much you have seen ! How lucky you have been ! ’
‘ I ? ’ said the fir-tree, and then it thought over what
it had told them. ‘ Yes, on the whole those were very
happy times.’ But then it went on to tell them about
Christmas Eve, when it had been adorned with sweet-
meats .and tapers.
^ Oh ! ’ said the little mice, ‘ how lucky you have been,
you old fir-tree ! ’
‘ I’m not at all old,’ said the tree. ' I only came from
the wood this winter. I am only a little backward, per-
haps, in my growth.’
^ How beautifully you tell stories ! ’ said the little
mice. And next evening they came with four others,
who wanted to hear the tree’s story, and it told still more,
for it remembered everything so clearly and thought :
‘ Those were happy times ! But they may come again.
Humpty Dumpty fell downstairs, and yet he married a
princess ; perhaps I shall also marry a princess ! ’ And
then it thought of a pretty little birch-tree that grew out
THE FIB-TBEE
109
in the wood, and seemed to the fir-tree a real princess,
and a very beautiful one too.
‘ Who is Humpty Dumpty ? ’ asked the little mice.
And then the tree told the whole story ; it could
remember every single word, and the little mice were
ready to leap on to the topmost branch out of sheer joy !
Next night many more mice came, and on Sunday even
two rats ; but they did not care about the story, and that
troubled the little mice, for now they thought less of
it too.
‘ Is that the only story you know ? ’ asked the
rats.
‘ The only one,’ answered the tree. ' I heard that on
my happiest evening, but I did not realise then how happy
I was.’
^That’s a very poor story. Don’t you know one about
bacon or tallow candles ? a storeroom story ? ’
‘ No,’ said the tree.
* Then we are much obliged to you,’ said the rats, and
they went back to their friends.
At last the little mice went off also, and the tree said,
sighing : ^ Eeally it was very pleasant when the lively
little mice sat round and listened whilst I told them
stories. But now that’s over too. But now I will think
of the time when I shall be brought out again, to keep up
my spirits.’
But when did that happen ? Well, it was one morning
when they came to tidy up the lumber-room ; the boxes
were set aside, and the tree brought out ; they threw it
really rather roughly on the floor, but a servant dragged
it off at once downstairs, where there was daylight once
more.
‘ Now life begins again ! ’ thought the tree. It felt the
fresh air, the first rays of the sun, and there it was out in
the yard ! Everything passed so quickly ; the tree quite
forgot to notice itself, there was so much to look at all
around. The yard opened on a garden full of flowers ;
no
THE FIB-TBEE
the roses were so fresh and sweet, hanging over a little
trellis, the lime-trees were in blossom, and the swallows
flew about, saying: ' Quirre-virre-vit, my husband has
come home ; ’ but it was not the fir-tree they meant.
‘ Now I shall live,* thought the tree joyfully, stretching
out its branches wide ; but, alas ! they were all withered
and yellow ; and it was lying in a corner among weeds
and nettles. The golden star was still on its highest
bough, and it glittered in the bright sunlight. In the
yard some of the merry children were playing, who had
danced so gaily round the tree at Christmas. One of the
little ones i^an up, and tore ojff the gold star.
‘ Look what was left on the ugly old fir-tree ! * he
cried, and stamped on the boughs so that they cracked
under his feet.
And the tree looked at all the splendour and freshness
of the flowers in the garden, and then looked at itself, and
wished that it had been left lying in the dark corner of
^he lumber-room; it thought of its fresh youth in the
wood, of the merry Christmas Eve, and of the little mice
who had listened so happily to the story of Humpty
Dumpty.
* Too late ! Too late ! * thought the old tree. ‘ If only
I had enjoyed myself whilst I could. Now all is over
and gone.’
And a servant came and cut the tree into small pieces,
there was quite a bundle of them ; they flickered brightly
under the great copper in the brew-house ; the tree sighed
deeply, and each sigh was like a pistol-shot ; so the
children who were playing there ran up, and sat in front
of the fire, gazing at" it, and crying, ' Piff ! puff! bang 1 ’
But for each report, which was reaily a sigh, the tree was
thinking of a summer's day in the wood, or of a winter’s
night out there, when the stars were shining ; it thought
of Christmas Eve, and of Humpty Dumpty, which was
the only story it had heard, or could tell, and then the
tree had burnt away.
THE FIRHBEB
111
The children played on in the garden, and the youngest
had the golden star on his breast, which the tree had worn
on the happiest evening of its life ; and now that was past
— and the tree had passed away — and the story too, all
ended and done with.
And that’s the way with all stories !
Here our Danish author ends. This is what people
call sentiment^ and I hope you enjoy it !
112
HANS, THE 3IEBMAinS SON^
In a village there once lived a smith called Basmns, who
was in a very poor way. He was still a young man, and
a strong handsome fellow to boot, but he had many little
children and there was little to be earned by his trade.
He was, however, a diligent and hard-working man, and
when he had no work in the smithy he was out at sea
fishing, or gathering wreckage on the shore.
It happened one time that he had gone out to fish in
good weather, all alone in a little boat, but he did not
come home that day, nor the following one, so that all
believed that he had perished out at sea. On the third
day, however, Basmus came to shore again and had his
boat full of fish, so big and fat that ‘lio one had ever seen
their like. There was nothing the matter with him, and
he complained neither of hunger nor thirst. He had got
into a fog, he said, and could not find land again. What
he did not tell, however, was where he had been all the
time ; that only came out six years later, when people
got to know that he had been caught by 9j mermaid out
on the deep sea, and had been her guest during the three
days that he was missing. Prom that time forth he went
out no more to fish ; nor, indeed, did he require to do so,
for whenever he went down to the shore it never failed
that some wreckage was washed up, and in it all kinds of
valuable things. In those days everyone took what they
found and got leave to keep it, so that the smith grew
more prosperous day by day.
^ Translated from the Danish*
lU
IlANS, THiS jSIEBMAW^S SON
When seven years had passed since the smith went
out to sea, it happened one morning, as he stood in the
smithy, mending a plough, that a handsome young lad
came in to him and said, * Good-day, father ; my mother
the mermaid sends her greetings, and says that she has
had me for six years now, and you can keep me for as
long/
He was a strange enough boy to be six years old, for
he looked as if he were eighteen, and was even bigger and
stronger than lads commonly are at that age.
‘ Will you have a bite of bread? ’ said the smith.
‘ Oh, yes,’ said Hans, for that was his name.
The smith then told his wife to cut a piece of bread
for him. She did so, and the boy swallowed it at one
mouthful and went out again to the smithy to his father.
‘ Have you got all you can eat ? ’ said the smith.
* No,’ said Hans, ^ that was just a little bit.’
The smith went into the house and took a whole loaf,
which he cut into two slices and put butter and cheese
between them, and this he gave to Hans. In a while the
boy came out to the smithy again.
‘Well, have you got as much as you can eat?’ said
the smith.
‘No, not nearly,’ said Hans; ‘I must try to find a
better place than this, for I can see that I shall never
get my fill here.’ '
Hans wished to set off at once, as soon as his father
would make a staff for him of such a kind as he wanted.
‘ It must be of iron,’ said he, ‘ and one that can hold
out.’
The smith brought him an iron rod as thick as an
ordinary staff, but Hans took it and twisted it round his
finger, so that wouldn’t do. Then the smith came drag-
ging one as thick as a waggon-pole, but Hans bent it over
his knee and broke it like a straw. The smith then ’had
to collect all the iron he had, and Hans held it while his
father forged for him a staff, which was heavier than the
HANS, THE MEBMAIDH SON
115
anvil. When Hans had got this he said, ' Many thanks,
father ; now I have got my inheritance.’ With this he
set off into the country, and the smith was very well
pleased to be rid of that son, before he ate him out of
house and home.
Hans first arrived at a large estate, and it so happened
that the squire himself was standing outside the farm-
yard.
Where are you going? ’ said the squire.
‘ I am looking for a place,’ said Hans, ‘ where they
have need of strong fellows, and can give them plenty to
eat.’
‘ Well,’ said the squire, H generally have twenty-four
men at this time of the year, but I have only twelve just
now, so I can easily take you on.’
'Very well,’ said Hans, 'I shall easily do twelve
men’s work, but then I must also have as much to eat as
(he twelve would.’
All this was agreed to, and the squire took Hans into
the kitchen, and told the servant girls that the new man
was to have as much food as the other twelve. It was
arranged that he should have a pot to himself, and he
could then use the ladle to take his food with.
It was in the evening that Hans arrived there, so he
did nothing more that day than eat his supper — a big pot
of buck-wheat porridge, which he cleaned to the bottom,
and was then so far satisfied that he said he could sleep
on that, so he went off to bed. He slept both weU and
long, and all the rest were up and at their work while he
was still sleeping soundly. The squire* was also on foot,
for he was curious to see how the new man would behave
who was both to eat and work for twelve.
But as yet there was no Hans to be seen, and the sun
was already high in the heavens, so the squire himself
went and called on him.
' Get up, Hans,’ he cried ; ' you are sleeping too
long.’
116
HANS, THE HEBAIAID^S SON
Hans woke tip and rubbed his eyes. * Yes, that’s
true,’ he said, ' I must get up and have my breakfast.’
So he rose and dressed himself, and went into the
kitchen, where he got his pot of porridge ; he swallowed
all of this, and then asked what work he was to
have.
He was to thresh that day, said the squire ; the other
twelve men were already busy at it. There were twelve
threshing-floors, and the twelve men were at work v^xi six
of them — two on each. Hans must thresh by himself
all that was lying upon the other six floors. He went
out to the barn and got hold of a flail. Then he looked
to see how the others did it and did the same, but at the
first stroke he smashed the flail in pieces. There were
several flails hanging there, and Hans took the one after
the other, but they all went the same way, every one fly-
ing in splinters at the first stroke. He then looked round
for something else to work with, and found a pair of
strong beams lying near. Next he caught sight of a
horse-hide nailed up on the barn-door. With the beams
he made a flail, using the skin to tie them together. The
one beam he used as a handle, and the other to strike
with, and now that was all right. But the barn was too
low, there was no room to swing the flail, and the floors
were too small. Hans, however, found a remedy for this
— ^he simply lifted the whole roof off the barn, and set it
down in the field beside. He then emptied down all the
corn that he could lay his hands on and threshed away.
He went through one lot after anorther, and it was all the
same to him what^he got hold of, so before midday he had
threshed all the squire’s grain, his rye and wheat and
barley and oats, all mixed through each other. When he
was finished with this, he lifted the roof up on the barn
again, like setting a lid on a box, and went in and told the
squire that that job was done.
The squire opened his eyes at this announcement;
and came out to see if it was really true. It was true,
HANS, THE MEBM AID’S SON
117
sui’o enough, but he was scarcely delighted with the
mixed grain that he had got from all his crops. How-
ever, when he saw the flail that Hans had used, and
learned how he had made room for himself to swing it,
he was so afraid of the strong fellow, that he dared
not say anything, except that it was a good thing he had
got it threshed ; but it had still to be cleaned.
' What does that mean ? ' asked Hans.
It was explained to him that the corn and the chaff
had to be separated ; as yet both were lying in one heap,
right up to the roof. Hans began to take up a little and
sift it in his hands, but he soon saw that this would
never do. He soon thought of a plan, however ; he
opened both barn-doors, and then lay down at one end
and blew, so that all the chaff flew out and lay like a
sand-bank at the other end of the barn, and the grain was
as clean as it could be. Then he reported to the squire
that that job also was done. The squire said that that
was well ; there was nothing more for him to do that day.
Off went Hans to the kitchen, and got as much as he
could eat ; then he went and took a midday nap which
lasted till supper-time.
Meanwhile the squire was quite miserable, and made
his moan to his wife, saying that she must help him to
find some means of getting rid of this strong fellow, for
he durst not give him his leave. She sent for the steward,
and it was arranged that next day all the men should go
to the forest for fire- wood, and that they should make a
bargain among them, that the one who came home last
with his load should be hanged. They thought they
could easily manage that it would be Hans who would
lose his life, for the others would be early on the road,
while Hans would certainly oversleep himself. In the
evening, therefore, the men sat and talked together, saying
that next morning they must set out early to the forest,
and as they had a hard day’s work and a long journey
before them, they would, for their amusement, make a
118
HANS, THE ME EM AID'S SON
compact, that whichever of them came home last with
his load should lose his life on the gallows. So Hans
had no objections to make.
Long before the sun was up next morning, all the
twelve men were on foot. They took all the best horses
and carts, and drove off to the forest. Hans, however,
lay and slept on, and the squire said, ‘ Just let him lie.’
At last, Hans thought it was time to have his break-
fast, so he got up and put on his clothes. He took plenty
of time to his breakfast, and then went out to get his
horse and cart ready. The others had taken everything
that was any good, so that he had a difficulty in scraping
together four wheels of different sizes and fixing them to
an old cart, and he could find no other horses than a pair
of old hacks. These he harnessed to his cart and drove
off to the forest. He did not know where it lay, but he
followed the track of the other carts, and in that way
came to it all right. On coming to the gate leading into
the forest, he was unfortunate enough to break it in
pieces, so he took a huge stone that was lying on the field,
seven ells long, and seven ells broad, and set this in the
gap, then he went on and joined the others. These
laughed at him heartily, for they had laboured as hard as
they could since daybreak, and had helped each other to
fell trees and put them on the carts, so that all of these
were now loaded except one.
Hans got hold of a woodman’s axe and proceeded to
fell a tree, but he destroyed the edge and broke the shaft
at the first blow. He therefore laid down the axe, put
his arms round the tree, and pulled it up by the roots.
This he threw upon his cart, and then another and
another, and thus he went on while all the others forgot
their work, and stood with open mouths, gazing at this
strange woodcraft. All at once they began to hurry;
the last cart was loaded, and they whipped up their
horses, so as to be the first to arrive home.
When Hans had finished his work, he again put his
HANS, THE MEBMAIDE SON
119
old hacks into the cart, but they could not move it from
the spot. He was annoyed at this, and took them out
again, twisted a rope round the cart, and all the trees,
lifted the whole affair on his back, and set off home, lead-
ing the horses behind him by the rein. When he reached
the gate, he found the whole row of carts standing there,
unable to get any further for the stone which lay in the
gap.
‘ What ! ’ said Hans, ‘ can twelve men not move that
stone ? ’ With that he lifted it and threw it out of the
way, and went on with his burden on his back, and the
horses behind him, and arrived at the farm long before
any of the others. The squire was walking about there,
looking and looking, for he was very curious to know
what had happened. Finally, he caught sight of Hans
coming along in this fashion, and was so frightened that
he did not know what to do, but he shut the gate and
put on the bar. When Hans reached the gate of the
courtyard, he laid down the trees and hammered at it,
but no one came to open it. He then took the trees and
tossed them over the barn into the yard, and the cart after
them, so that every wheel dew off in a different direction.
When the squire saw this, he thought to himself,
‘ The horses will come the same way if I don’t open the
door,’ so he did this.
' Good day, master,’ said Hans, and put the horses
into the stable, and went into the kitchen, to get some-
thing to eat. At length the other men came home
with their loads. When they came in, Hans said to them,
‘ Do you remember the bargain we made last night ?
Which of you is it that’s going to he hanged ? ’ ' Oh,’
said they, ' that was only a joke ; it didn’t mean anything.’
' Oh well, it doesn’t matter,’ said Hans, and there was no
more about it.
The squire, however, and his wife and the steward,
had much to say to each other about the terrible man
they had got, and all were agreed thax they must get rid
120
EANS, THE MEBMAIHS SON
of him in some way or other. The steward said that he
would manage this all right. Next morning they were to
clean the well, and they would make use of that oppor-
tunity. They would get him down into the well, and
then have a Mg mill-stone ready to throw down on top of
him— that would settle him. After that they could just
fill in the well, and then escape being at any expense for
his funeral Both the squire and his wife thought this
a splendid idea, and went about rejoicing at the thought
that now they would get rid of Hans.
But Hans was hard to kill, as we shall see. He slept
long next morning, as he always did, and finally, as he
would not waken by himself, the squire had to go and
call him. ‘ Get up, Hans, you are sleeping too long,’ he
cried. Hans woke up and rubbed his eyes. ‘ That’s so,’
said he, ' I shall rise and have my breakfast.’ He got up
then and dressed himself, while the breakfast stood wait-
ing for him. When he had finished the whole of this, he
asked what ho was to do that day. He was told to help
the other men to clean out the well. That was all right,
and he went out and found the other men waiting for him.
To these he said that they could choose whichever task
they liked — either to go down into the well and fill the
buckets while he pulled them up, or pull them up, and
he alone would go down to the bottom of the well. They
answered that they would rather stay above-ground, as
there would be no room for so many of them down in
the well.
Hans therefore went down alone, and began to clean
out the well, but the men had arranged how they were to
act, and immediately each of them seized a stone from a
heap of huge blocks, that lay in the farmyard just as
big as they could lift, and threw them down above him,
thinking to kill him with these. Hans, however, gave no
more heed to this than to shout up to them, to keep the
hens away from the well, for they were scraping gravel
down on the top of him
HANS, THE MERMAIHS SON
121
They then saw that they could not kill him with
httle stones, hut they had still the big one left. The
whole twelve of them set to work with poles and rollers
and rolled the big mill-stone to the brink of the well. It
was with the greatest difficulty that they got it thrown
down there, and now they had no doubt that he had got
all that he wanted. Eut the stone happened to fall so
luckily that his head went right through the hole in the
middle of the mill- stone, so that it sat round his neck
like a priest’s collar. At this, Hans would stay down no
longer. He came out of the well, with the mill-stone
round his neck, and went straight to the squire and
complained that the other men were trying to make a
fool of him. He would not be their priest, he said ; he
had too little learning for that. Saying this, he bent
down his head and shook the stone off, so that it crushed
one -of the squire’s big toes.
The squire went limping in to his wife, and the
steward was sent for. He was told that he must devise
some plan for getting rid of this terrible person. The
scheme he had devised before had been of no use, and
now good counsel was scarce.
‘ Oh, no,’ said the steward, ‘ there are good enough
ways yet. The squire can send him this evening to fish
in Devilmoss Ls^ke : he will never escape alive from
there, for no one can go there by night for Old Eric.’
That was a grand idea, both the squire and his wife
thought, and so he limped out again to Hans, and said
that he would punish his men for having tried to make
a fool of him. Meanwhile, Hans could do a little job
where he would be free from these rascals. He should
go out on the lake and fish there that night, and would
then be free from all work on the following day.
‘ All right,’ said Hans ; ‘ I am weU content with that,
but I must have something with me to eat — a baking of
bread, a cask of butter, a barrel of ale, and a keg of
brandy. I can’t do with less than that.*
m HANS, THE MEBMAW'S SON
The squire said that he could easily get all that, so
Hans got all of these tied up together, hung them over
his shoulder on his good staff, and tramped away to
Devilmoss Lake.
There he got into the boat, rowed out upon the lake,
and got everything ready to fish. As he now lay out
there in the middle of the lake, and it was pretty late in
the evening, he thought he would have something to eat
first, before starting to work. Just as he was at his
busiest with this, Old Eric rose out of the lake, caught
him by the cuff of the neck, whipped him out of the boat,
and dragged him down to the bottom. It was a lucky
thing that Hans had his walking-stick with him that day,
and had just time to catch hold of it when he felt Old
Eric’s claws in his neck, so when they got down to the
bottom he said, ‘ Stop now, just wait a little ; here is
solid ground.’ With that he caught Old Eric by the back
of the neck with one hand, and hammered away on his
back with the staff, till he beat him out as flat as a
pancake. Old Eric then began to lament and howl,
begging him just to let him go, and he would never come
back to the lake again.
‘ No, my good fellow,’ said Hans, ‘you won’t get off
until you promise to bring all the fish in the lake up to
the squire’s courtyard, before to-morrow morning,’
Old Eric eagerly promised this, if Hans would only
let him go ; so Hans rowed ashore, ate up the rest of his
provisions, and went home to bed.
Next morning, when the squire rose and opened his
front door, the fish came tumbling into the porch, and the
whole yard was crammed full of them. He ran in again
to his wife, for he could never devise anything himself,
and said to her, ‘ What shall we do with him now ? Old
Eric hasn’t taken him. I am certain all the fish are out
of the lake, for the yard is just filled with them.’
‘ Yes, that’s a bad business,’ said she ; ‘ you must see if
you can’t get him sent to Purgatory, to demand tribute. ’ The
HANS, TEE MEBMAIDE SON
123
squire therefore made his wa}^ to the men’s quarters, to
speak to Hans, and it took him all his time to push his
way along the walls, under the eaves, on account of the
fish that filled the yard. He thanked Hans for having
fished so well, and said that now he had an errand for
him, which he could only give to a trusty servant, and
that was to journey to Purgatory, and demand three
years tribute^ which, he' said, was owing to him from that
quarter.
124
EANS, THE MBEMJirn A SON
‘ Willingly/ said Hans ; ‘ but what road do I go, to
get there ? ’
The squire stood, and did not know what to say, and
had first to go in to his wife to ask her.
^ Oh, what a fool you are ! ’ said she, ' can’t you direct
him straight forward, south through the wood ? Whether
he gets there or not, toe shall be quit of him.’
Out goes the squire again to Hans.
‘ The way lies straight forward, south through the
wood/ said he.
Hans then must have his provisions for the journey ;
two bakings of bread, two casks of butter, two barrels
ale, and two kegs of brandy. He tied all these up
together, and got them on his shoulder hanging on his
good walking-stick, and off he tramped southward.
After he had got through the wood, there was more
than one road, and he was in doubt which of them was
the right one, so he sat down and opened up his bundle
of provisions. He found he had left his knife at home,
but by good chance, there was a plough lying close at
hand, so he took the coulter of this to cut the bread with.
As he sat there and took his bite, a man came riding past
him.
‘ Where are you from ? ’ said Hans.
‘ From Purgatory,’ said the man.
‘ Then stop and wait a little,’ said Hans ; but the man
was in a hurry, and would not stop, so Hans ran after
him and caught the horse by the tail. This brought it
down on its hind legs, and the man w^ent flying over
its head into a ditch. * Just wait a little,’ said Hans ; ' I
am going the same* way.’ He got his provisions tied up
again, and laid them on the horse’s back ; then he took
hold of the reins, and said to the man, ‘ We two can go
along together on foot.’
As they went on their way Hans told the stranger
both about the errand he had on hand and the fun he
had had with Old Eric. The other said but little, but he
HANS, THE AIEBMAIHS SON
125
was well acquainted with tne way, and it was no long
time before they arrived at the gate. There both horse
and rider disappeared, and Hans was left alone outside.
‘ They will come and let me in presently,’ he thought
to himself ; but no one came. He hammered at the gate ;
still no one appeared. Then he got tired of waiting, and
smashed at the gate with his staff until he knocked it in
pieces and got inside. A whole troop of little demons
came down upon him and asked what he wanted. His
master’s compliments, said Hans, and he wanted three
years’ tribute. At this they howled at him,' and were
about to lay hold of him and drag him off; but when
they had got some raps from his walking-stick they let
go again, howled still louder than before, and ran in to
Old Eric, who was still in bed, after his adventure in the
lake. They told him that a messenger had come from
the squire at Devilmoss to demand three years’ tribute.
He had knocked the gate in pieces and bruised their
arms and legs with his iron staff.
‘ Give him three years’ ! give him ten ! ’ shouted Old
Eric, ‘ only don’t let him come near ms.’
So all the little demons came dragging so much silver
and gold that it was something awful. Hans filled his
bundle with gold and silver coins, put it on his neck, and
tramped back to his master, who was scared beyond all
measure at seeing him again.
But Hans was also tired of service now. Of all the
gold and silver he brought with him he let the squire keep
one half, and he was glad enough, both for the money
and at getting rid of Hans. The other half he took home
to his father the smith in Eurreby. "To him also he said
‘ .Farewell ; ” he was now tired of living on shore among
mortal men, and preferred to go home again to his mother.
Since that time no one has ever seen Hans, the Mermaid’s
Son.
PETER BULL^
There once lived in Denmark a peasant and his wife
who owned a very good farm, but had no children. They
often lamented to each other that they had no one of
their own to inherit all the wealth that they possessed-
They continued to prosper, and became rich people, but
there was no heir to it all.
One year it happened that they owned a pretty little
bull-calf, which they called Peter. It was the prettiest
little creature they had ever seen — so beautiful and so
wise that it understood everything that was said to it,
and so gentle and so full of play that both the man and
his wife came to be as fond of it as if it had been their
own child.
One day the man said to his wdfe, ^ I wonder, now,
whether our parish clerk could teach Peter to talk ; in
that case we could not do better than adopt him as our
son, and let him inherit all that we possess.’
*Well, I don’t know,’ said his wife, ‘ our clerk is tre-
mendously learned, and knows much more than his
Paternoster, and I could almost believe that he might be
able to teach Peter to talk, for Peter has a wonderfully
good head too. You might at least ask him about it.’
Off went the man to the clerk, and asked him whether
he thought he could teach a bull-calf that they had to
speak, for they wished so much to have it as their heir.
^ From the Danish.
PE TEE BULL
127
The clerk was no fool ; he looked round about to see
that no one could overhear them, and said, ‘ Oh, yes, I can
easily do that, but you must not speak to anyone about it.
It must be done in all secrecy, and the priest must not
know of it, otherwise I shall get into trouble, as it
is forbidden. It will also cost you something, as some
very expensive books are required.’
That did not matter at all, the man said ; they would
not care so very much what it cost. The clerk could have
a hundred dollars to begin with to buy the books. He
also promised to tell no one about it, and to bring the
calf round in the evening.
He gave the clerk the hundi'ed dollars on the spot, and
in the evening took the calf round to him, and the clerk
promised to do his best with it. In a week’s time he
came back to the clerk to hear about the calf and see how
it was thriving. The clerk, however, said that he could
not get a sight of it, for then Peter would long after him
and forget all that he had already learned. He was
getting on well with his learning, but another hundred
dollars were needed, as they must have more books. The
peasant had the money with him, so he gave it to the clerk,
and went home again with high hopes.
In another week the man came again to learn what
progress Peter had made now.
' He is getting on very well,’ said the clerk.
' I suppose he can’t say anything yet ? ’ said the man.
‘ Oh, yes,’ said the clerk, ' he can say “ Moo” now.’
' Do you think he will get on with his learning ? ’
asked the peasant.
' Oh, yes,’ said the clerk, ' but I, shall want another
hundred dollars for books. Peter can’t learn well out of
the ones that he has got.’
‘ Well, well,’ said the man, ' what must be spent shall
be spent.’
So he gave the clerk the l>hird hundred dollars for
books, and a cask of good old ale for Peter. The clerk
128
PETER BULL
drank the ale himself, and gave the calf milk, which he
thought would be better for it.
Some weeks passed, during which the peasant did not
come round to ask after the calf, being frightened lest
it should cost him another hundred dollars, for he had
begun to squirm a bit at having to part with so much
money. Meanwhile the clerk decided that the calf was
as fat as it could be, so hb killed it. After he had got
all the beef out of the way he went inside, put on his
black clothes, and made his way to the peasant’s house.
As soon as he had said ‘ Good-day ’ he asked, ‘ Has
Peter come home here '? ’
‘ No, indeed, he hasn’t,’ said the man ; ‘ surely he
hasn’t run away ? ’
‘ I hope,’ said the clerk, ‘ that he would not behave
so contemptibly after all the trouble I have had to teach
him, and all that I have spent upon him. I have had to
spend at least a hundred dollars of my own money to
buy books for him before I got him so far on. He could
say anything he liked nov/, so he said to-day that he
longed to see his parents again. I was w illin g to give
him that pleasure, but I was afraid that he wouldn’t be
able to find the way here by himself, solmade myself ready
to go with him. When we had got outside the house I
remembered that I had left my stick inside, and went in
again to get it. When I came out again Peter had gone
off on his own account. I thought he would be here, and
if he isn’t I don’t know where he is.’
The peasant and his wife began to lament bitterly
that Peter had run away in this fashion just when they
were to have so much joy of him, and after they had
spent so much on his education. The worst of it was
that now they had no heir after all. The clerk comforted
them as best he could ; he also was greatly distressed
that Peter should have behaved in such a way just when
he should have gained honour from his pupil. Perhaps
he had only gone astray, and he would advertise him at
FETEB BULL
129
church next Sunday, and find out whether anyone had
seen him. Then he bade them ‘ Good-bye/ and went
home and dined on a good fat veal roast.
Now it so happened that the clerk took in a news-
paper, and one day he chanced to read in its columns of a
new merchant who had settled in a town at some distance,
and whose name was ‘ Peter Bull.' He put the news-
paper in his pocket, and went round to the sorrowing
couple who had lost their heir. He read the paragraph
to them, and added, ‘ I wonder, now, whether that could
be your bull-calf Peter ? ’
‘ Yes, of course it is,’ said the man ; " who else would
it be?’
His wife then spoke up and said, * You must set out,
good man, and see about him, for it him, I am perfectly
certain. Take a good sum of money with you, too *, for
who knows but what he may want some cash now that
he has turned a merchant 1 ’
Next day the man got a bag of money on his back
and a sandwich in his pocket, and his pipe in his mouth,
and set out for the town where the new merchant lived.
It was no short way, and he travelled for many days
before he finally arrived there. He reached it one
morning, just at daybreak, found out the right place, and
asked if the merchant was at home. Yes, he was, said
the people, but he was not up yet.
‘ That doesn’t matter,’ said the peasant, ‘ for I am his
father. Just show me up to his bedroom.’
He was shown up to the room, and as soon as he
entered it, and caught sight of the merchant, he recog-
nised him at once. He had the saijae broad forehead,
the same thick neck, and same red hair, but in other
respects he was now like a human being. The peasant
rushed straight up to him and took a firm hold of him.
‘0 Peter,’ said he, 'what a sorrow you have caused
us, both myself and your mother, by running off like this
just as we had got you weU educated ! Get up, now,
p K
130 PETER BULL
so that I can see you properly, and have a talk with
you.’
The merchant thought that it was a lunatic who had
made his way in to him, and thought it best to take
things quietly.
'All right,’ said he, ‘ I shall do so at once.’ He got
out of bed and made haste to dress himself.
' Ay,’ said the peasant, ‘ now I can see how clever our
clerk is. He has done well by you, for now you look
just like a human being. If one didn’t know it, one
would never think that it was you we got from the red
cow ; will you come home with me now ? ’
' No,’ said the merchant, ‘ I can’t find time just now.
I have a big business to look after.’
' You could have the farm at once, you know,’ said
the peasant, ‘ and we old people would retire. But if
you would rather stay in business, of course you may do
so. Are you in want of anything ? ’
' Oh, yes,’ said the merchant ; ‘ I want nothing so much
as money. A merchant has always a use for that.*
' I can well believe that,’ said the peasant, ' for you
had nothing at all to start with. I have brought some
with me for that very end.’ With that he emptied his
bag of money out upon the table, so that it was all
covered with bright dollars.
When the merchant saw what kind of man he had
before him he began to speak him fair, and invited him
to stay with him for some days, so that they might have
some more talk together.
' Very well,’ said the peasant, * but you must call me
Father.” ’
‘ I have neither father nor mother alive,’ said Peter Bull.
‘ I know that,’ said the man ; ‘ your real father was
sold at Hamburg last Michaelmas, and your real mother
died while calving in spring ; but my wife and I have
adopted you as our own, and you are our only heir, so
you must caU me ” Bather.” ’
PETER BULL
131
Peter Bull was quite willing to do so, and it was
settled that he should keep the money, while the peasant
^ made his will and left to him all that he had, before he
went home to his wife, and told her the whole story.
She was delighted to hear that it was true enough
about Peter Bull. — that he was no other than their own
bull' calf.
‘ You must go at once and tell the clerk,* said she,
* and pay him the hundred dollars of his own money
that he spent upon our son. He has earned them well,
and more besides,, for all the joy he has given us in having
such a son and heir.’
The man agreed with this, and thanked the clerk
for all he had done, and gave him two hundred dollars.
Then he sold the farm, and removed with his wife to the
town where their dear son and heir was hving. To him
they gave all their wealth, and lived with him till their
dying day.
THE BIBB ‘GEIP^^
It happened once that a king, who had a great kingdom
and three sons, became blind, and no human skill or
art could restore to him his sight. At last there came
to the palace an old woman, who told him that in the
whole world there was only one thing that could give
him back his sight, and that was to get the bird Grip ;
his song would open the king’s eyes.
When the king’s eldest son heard this he offered to
bring the bird Grip, which was kept in a cage by a king
in another country, and carefully guarded as his greatest
treasure. The blind king was greatly rejoiced at his son’s
resolve, fitted him out in the best way he could, and let
him go. When the prince had ridden some distance
he came to an inn, in which there were many guests, all
of whom were merry, and drank and sang and played at
dice. This joyous life pleased the prince so well that he
stayed in the inn, took part in the playing and drinking,
and forgot both his blind father and the bird Grip.
Meanwhile the king waited with both hope and
anxiety for his son’s return, but as time went on and
nothing was heard^^of him, the second prince asked leave
to go in search of his brother, as well as to bring the bird
Grip. The king granted his request, and fitted him out
in the finest fashion. But when the prince came to the
inn and found his brother among his merry companions,
^ Translated from tke Swedish.
THE BIBB ‘ GRIP ' 133
he also remained there, and foi'got both the bird Grip and
his blind father.
When the king noticed that neither of his sons
returned, although a long time had passed since the
second one set out, he was greatly distressed, for not only
had he lost all hope of getting back his sight, but he had
also lost his two eldest sons. The youngest now came
to him, and offered to go in search of his brothers and to
bring the bird Grip ; he was quite certain that he would
succeed in this. The king was unwilling to risk his third
son on such an errand, but he begged so long that his
father had at last to consent. This prince also was fitted
out in the finest manner, like his brothers, and so rode
away.
He also turned into the same inn as his brothers,
and when these saw him they assailed him with many
entreaties to remain with them and share their merry
life. But he answered that now, when he had found
them, his next task was to get the bird Grip, for which
his blind father was longing, and so he had not a single
hour to spare with them in the inn. He then said fare-
well to his brothers, and rode on to find another inn in
which to pass the night. When he had ridden a long
way, and it began to grow dark, he came to a house
which lay deep in the forest. Here he was received in
a very friendly manner by the host, who put his horse
into the stable, and led the prince himself into the guest-
chamber, where he ordered a maid- servant to lay the
cloth and set down the supper. It was now dark, and
while the girl was laying the cloth and setting down the
dishes, and the prince had begun to appease his hunger,
he heard the most piteous shrieks and cries from the
next room. He sprang up from the table and asked the
girl what these cries were, and whether he had fallen into
a den of robbers. The girl answered that these shrieks
were heard every night, but it was no living being who
uttered them ; it was a dead man, whose life the host
134
THE BIBD ^GBIP^
had taken because he could not pay for the meals he had
had in the inn. The host further refused to bury the
dead man, as he had left nothing to pay the expenses of
the funeral, and every night he went and scourged the
dead body of his victim.
When she had said this she lifted the cover off one
of the dishes, and the prince saw that there lay on it a
knife and an axe. He understood then that the host
meant to ask him by this what kind of death he preferred
to die, unless he was willing to ransom his life with his
money. He then summoned the host, gave him a large
sum for his own life, and paid the dead man’s debt as
well, besides paying him for burying the body, which the
murderer now promised to attend to.
The prince, however, felt that his life was not safe in
this murderer’s den, and asked the maid to help him to
escape that night. She replied that the attempt to do so
might cost her her own life, as the key of the stable in
which the prince’s horse stood lay under the host’s
pillow ; but, as she herself was a prisoner there, she would
help him to escape if he would take her along with him.
He promised to do so, and they succeeded in getting away
from the inn, and rode on until they came to another far
away from it, where the prince got a good place for the
girl before proceeding on his journey.
As he now rode all alone through a forest there met
him a fox, who greeted him in a friendly fashion, and
asked him where he was going, and on what errand he
was bent. The prince answered that his errand was too
important to be confided to everyone that he met.
‘ You are right in that,’ said the fox, ‘ for it relates to
the bird Grip, which you want to take and bring home to
your blind father ; I could help you in this, but in that
case you must follow my counsel’
The prince thought that this was a good offer,
especially as the fox was ready to go with him and show
him the way to the castle, where the bird Grip sat in his
THE BLEB ^ GEIP ’
135
cage, and so he promised to obey the fox’s instructions.
When they had traversed the forest together they saw
the castle at some distance. Then the fox gave the prince
three grains of gold, one of which he was to throw into
the guard-room, another into the room where the bird
Grip sat, and the third into its cage. He could then take
the bird, but he must beware of stroking it ; otherwise it
would go ill with him.
The prince took the grains of gold, and promised to
follow the fox’s directions faithfully. When he came to
the guard-room of the castle he threw one of the grains
in there, and the guards at once fell asleep. The same
thing happened with those who kept watch in the room
beside the bird Grip, and when he threw the third grain
into its cage the bird also fell asleep. When the prince
got the beautiful bird into his hand he could not resist
the temptation to stroke it, whereupon it awoke and began
to scream. At this the whole castle woke up, and the
prince was taken prisoner.
As he now sat in his prison, and bitterly lamented
that his own disobedience had brought himself into
trouble, and deprived his father of the chance of recovering
his sight, the fox suddenly stood in front of him. The
prince was very pleased to see it again, and received with
great meekness all its reproaches, as well as promised to
be more obedient in the future, if the fox would only help
him out of his fix. The fox said that he had come to
assist him, but he could do no more than advise the
prince, when he was brought up for trial, to answer ‘ yes ^
to all the judge’s questions, and everything would go
well. The prince faithfully followed his instructions, so
that when the judge asked him whether he had meant to
steal the bird Grip he said ‘ Yes,’ and when the judge
asked him if he was a master-thief he again answered
^Yes.’
When the king heard that he admitted being a master^
thief, he said that he would forgive him the attqgiai
136
TEE BTBD ^GBIP'
steal the bird if he would go to the next kingdom and
carry off the world’s most beautiful princess, and bring
her to him. To this also the prince said ' Yes.’
When he left the castle he met the fox, who went
along with him to the next kingdom, and, when they came
near the castle there, gave him three grains of gold — one
to throw into the guard-room, another into the princess’s
chamber, and the third into her bed. At the same time
he strictly warned him not to kiss the princess. The
prince went to the castle, and did with the grains of gold
as the fox had told him, so that sleep fell upon everyone
there ; but when he had taken the princess into his arms
he forgot the fox’s warning, at the sight of her beauty,
and kissed her. Then both she and all the others in the
castle woke ; the prince was taken prisoner, and put into
a strong dungeon.
Here the fox again came to him and reproached him
with his disobedience, but promised to help him out of
this trouble also if he would answer ' yes ’ to everything
they asked him at his trial. The prince willingly agreed
to this, and admitted to the judge that he had meant to
steal the princess, and that he was a master-thief.
When the king learned this he said he would forgive
his offence if he would go to the next kingdom and steal
the horse with the four golden shoes. To this also the
prince said * Yes.’
When he had gone a little way from the castle he
met the fox, and they continued on their journey together.
When they reached the end of it the prince for the third
time received three grains of gold from the fox, with
directions to throw one into the guard-chamber, another
into the stable, and the third into the horse's stall. But
the fox told him that above the horse’s stall hung a
beautiful golden saddle, which he must not touch, if he
did not want to bring himself into new troubles worse
<fc^n those he had escaped from, for then the fox could
no longer.
138
THE BIRD ^GBIP*
The prince promised to be firm this time. He threw
the grains of gold in the proper places, and untied the
hor.se, but with that he caught sight of the golden saddle,
and thought that none but it could suit so beautiful a
horse, especially as it had golden shoes. But just as he
stretched out his hand to take it he received from some
invisible being so hard a blow on the arm that it was
made quite numb. This recalled to him his promise and
liis danger, so he led out the horse without looking at the
golden saddle again.
The fox was waiting for him outside the castle, and
the prince confessed to him that he had very nearly given
way to temptation this time as well. ‘ I know that,’ said
the fox, ‘ for it was I who struck you over the arm.’
As they now went on together the prince said that he
could not forget the beautiful princess, and asked the fox
whether he did not think that she ought to ride home to his
father’s palace on this horse with the golden shoes. The
fox agreed that this would be excellent ; if the prince would
now go and carry her off he would give him three grains
of gold for that purpose. The i)rince was quite ready,
and prornisiHl to keep better command of himself this
time, and not kiss her.
I le got the grains of gold and entered the castle, where
ho carried off the princess, set her on the beautiful horse,
and hold on his way. When they came near to the castle
where the bird Grip sat in his cage he again asked the
fijx for throe gi-ains of gold. These he got, and with them
ho was successful in carrying off the bird.
Ho was now full of joy, for his blind father would
now recover his sight, while he himself owned the world’s
most hoautiful priifccss and the horse with the golden
shoos.
The prince and the princess travelled on together with
mirth ami happiness, and the fox followed them until
Iht^y came to the forest where the prince first met with
him
THE BIBH ^GBIP*
139
' Here our ways part/ said the fox. * You have now got
all that your heart desired, and you will have a pros-
perous journey to your father’s palace if only you do not
ransom anyone’s life with money/
The prince thanked the fox for all his help, promised
to give heed to his warning, said farewell to him, and rode
on, with the princess by his side and the bird Grip on his
wrist.
They soon arrived at the inn where the two eldest
brothers had stayed, forgetting their errand. But now no
merry song or noise of mirth was heard from it. When
the prince came nearer he saw two gallows erected, and
when he entered the inn along with the princess he saw
that all the rooms were hung with black, and that every-
thing inside foreboded sorrow and death. He asked the
reason of this, and was told that two princes were to be
hanged that day for debt ; they had spent all their money
in feasting and playing, and were now deeply in debt to
fche host, and as no one could be found to ransom their
lives they were about to be hanged according to the law.
The prince knew that it was his two brothers who had
thus forfeited their lives, and it cut him to the heart to
think that two princes should suffer such a shameful
death ; and, as he had sufficient money with him, he paid
their debts, and so ransomed their lives.
At first the brothers were grateful for their liberty,
but w^hen they saw the youngest brother’s treasures they
became jealous of his good fortune, and planned how to
bring him to destruction, and then take the bird Grip,
the princess, and the horse with the golden shoes, and
convey them to their blind father. After they had agreed
on how to carry out their treachery they enticed the prince
to a den of lions and threw him down among them. Then
they set the princess on horseback, took the bird Grip,
and rode homeward. The princess wept bitterly, but they
told her that it would cost her her life if she did not say
that the two brothers had won all the treasures.
140
THE BIBD ‘ GEIE ^
When they arrived at their father’s palace there was
great rejoicing, and everyone praised the two princes for
their courage and bravery.
When the king inquired after the youngest brother
they answered that he had led such a life in the inn that
he had been hanged for debt. The king sorrowed bitterly
over this, because the youngest prince was his dearest
son, and the joy over the treasures soon died away, for
the bird Grip would not sing so that the king might recover
his sight, the princess wept night and day, and no one
dared to venture so close to the horse as to have a look
at his golden shoes.
Now when the youngest prince was thrown down into
the lions’ den he found the fox sitting there, and the
lions, instead of tearing him to pieces, showed him the
greatest friendliness. Nor was the fox angry with him
for having forgot his last warning. He only said that
sons who could so forget their old father and disgrace
their royal birth as these had done would not hesitate to
betray their brother either. Then he took the prince up
out of the lions’ den and gave him directions what to do
now so as to come by his rights again.
The prince thanked the fox with all his heart for his
true friendship, but the fox answered that if he had been
of any use to him he would now for his own part ask a
service of him. The prince replied that he would do him
any service that was in his power.
* I have only one thing to ask of you,’ said the fox, * and
that is, that you should cut off my head with your sword.’
The prince was astonished, and said that he could not
bring himself to cut the head off his truest friend, and to
this he stuck in spife of all the fox’s declarations that it
was the greatest service he could do him. At this the
fox became very sorrowful, and declared that the prince’s
refusal to grant his request now compelled him to do a
deed which he was very unwilling to do — if the prince
would not cut off his head, then he must kill the prince
THE BIRD ‘ GRIP *
141
himself. Then at last the prince drew his good sword and
cut off the fox’s head, and the next moment a youth
stood before him.
' Thanks,’ said he, * for this service, which has freed
me from a spell that not even death itself could loosen.
I am the dead man who lay unburied in the robber’s inn,
where you ransomed me and gave me honourable burial,
and therefore I have helped you in your journey.’
With this they parted, and the prince, disguising
himself as a horse-shoer, went up to his father's palace
and offered his services there.
The king’s men told him that a horse-shoer was
indeed wanted at the palace, but he must be one who
could lift up the feet of the horse with the golden shoes,
and such a one they had not yet been able to find. The
prince asked to see the horse, and as soon as he entered
the stable the steed began to neigh in a friendly fashion,
and stood as quiet and still as a lamb while the prince
lifted up his hoofs, one after the other, and showed the
king’s men the famous golden shoes.
After this the king’s men began to talk about the bird
Grip, and how strange it was that he would not sing,
however well he was attended to. The horse-shoer then
said that he knew the bird very well ; he had seen it when
it sat in its cage in another king’s palace, and if it did not
sing now it must be because it did not have all that it
wanted. He himself knew so much about the bird’s
ways that if he only got to see it he could tell at once
what it lacked.
The king’s men now took counsel whether they ought
to take the stranger in before the king* for in his chamber
sat the bird Grip along with the weeping princess. It
was decided to risk doing so, and the horse-shoer was led
into the king’s chamber, where he had no sooner called
the bird by its name than it began to sing and the
princess to smile. Then the darkness cleared away
from the king’s eyes, and the more the bird sang
142
TEE BIBD ^GBIP^
the more clearly did he see, till at last in the strange
horse-shoer he recognised his youngest son. Then the
princess told the king how treacherously his eldest sons
had acted, and he had them banished from his kingdom ;
but the youngest prince married the princess, and got
the horse with the golden shoes and half the kingdom
from his father, who kept for himself so long as he
lived the bird Grip, which now sang with all its heart to
the king and all his court.
SNOWFLAKE^
Once upon a time there lived a peasant called Ivan,
and he had a wife whose name was Marie. They would
have been quite happy except for one thing : they had no
children to play with, and as they were now old people
they did not find that watching the children of their neigh-
bours at all made up to them for having none of their own.
One winter, which nobody living will ever forget, the
snow lay so deep that it came up to the knees of even
the tallest man. When it had all fallen, and the sun was
shining again, the children ran out into the street to play,
and the old man and his wife sat at their window and
gazed at them. The children first made a sort of little
terrace, and stamped it hard and firm, and then they
began to make a snow woman. Ivan and Marie watched
them, the while thinking about many things.
Suddenly Ivan’s face brightened, and, looking at his
wife, he said, 'Wife, why shouldn’t we make a snow
woman too ? ’
‘ Why not ? ’ replied Marie, who happened to be in a
very good temper ; ‘ it might amuse us a little. But there
is no use making a woman. Let us make a little snow
child, and pretend it is a living one.’
' Yes, let us do that,’ said Ivan, and he took down his
cap and went into the garden with his old wife.
^ Slavonic story. Contes Populaires Slaves, traduits par Louis
Ltger. Paris : Leroux, Editeur.
144
SmWFLAKJE
Then the two set to work with all their might to
make a doll out of the snow. They shaped a little body
and two little hands and two little feet. On top of ail
they placed a ball of snow, out of which the head was to
be.
‘ What in the world are you doing ? ’ asked a passer-
‘ Can't you guess ? ’ returned Ivan.
* Making a snow-child/ replied Marie.
They had finished the nose and the chin. Two holes
were left for the eyes, and Ivan carefully shaped out the
mouth. No sooner had he done so than he felt a warm
breath upon his cheek. He started back in surprise and
looked — and behold ! the eyes of the child met his, and
its lips, which were as red as raspberries, smiled at him !
^ What is it ? ’ cried Ivan, crossing himself. ‘ Am I mad,
or is the thing bewitched ? ’
The snow-child bent its head as if it had been really
alive. It moved its little arms and its little legs in the
snow that lay about it just as the living children did
theirs.
‘ Ah ! Ivan, Ivan,' exclaimed Marie, trembling with
joy, * heaven has sent us a child at last ! ’ And she threw
herself upon Snowflake (for that was the snow-child’s
name) and covered her with kisses. And the loose snow
fell away from Snowflake as an egg shell does from an
egg, and it was a little girl whom Marie held in her arms.
‘ Oh ! my darling Snowflake 1 ’ cried the old woman>
and led her into the cottage.
And Snowflake grew fast ; each hour as well as each
day made a difference, and every day she became more
and more beautiful! The old couple hardly knew how to
contain thenrx'‘4ves for joy, and thought of nothing else.
The cottage was always full of village children, for they
amused Snowflake, and there was nothing in the world
they would not have done to amuse her. She was their
doll, and they were continually inventing new dresses for
SNOWFLAKE
145
her, and teaching her songs or playing with her. Nobody
knew how clever she was ! She noticed everything, and
could learn a lesson in a moment. Anyone would have
taken her for thirteen at least ! And, besides all that, she
was so good and obedient ; and so pretty, too ! Her skin
was as white as snow, her eyes were as blue as forget-
me-nots, and her hair was long and golden. Only her
cheeks had no colour in them, but were as fair as her
forehead.
So the winter went on, till at last the spring sun
mounted higher in the heavens and began to warm the
earth. The grass grew green in the fields, and high in
the air the larks were heard singing. The village girls
met and danced in a ring, singing, ‘ BeautifuL spring, how
came you here ? How came you here ? Did you come
on a plough, or was it a harrow ? * Only Snowflake sat
quite still by the window of the cottage.
‘ What is the matter, dear child ? ’ asked Marie.
^ Why are you so sad ? Are you ill ? or have they treated
you unkin^y? ’
‘No,’ replied Snowflake, ‘it is nothing, mother; no
one has hurt me : I am well.’
The spring sun had chased away the last snow from
its hiding place under the hedges ; the fields were full of
flowers ; nightingales sang in the trees, and all the world
was gay. But the gayer grew the birds and the flowers
the sadder became Snowflake, She hid herself from
her playmates, and curled herself up where the shadows
were deepest, hke a lily amongst its leaves. Her only
pleasure was to lie amid the green willows near some
sparkling stream. At the dawn and at twilight only
she seemed happy. When a great storm broke, and the
earth was white with hail, she became bright and joyous
as the Snowflake of old; but when the clouds passed,
and the hail melted beneath the sun, Snowflake would
burst into tears and weep as a sister would weep over her
brother.
I* Jj
146
SNOWFLAKE
The spring passed, and io was the eve of St, John, or
Midsummer Day. This was the greatest holiday of the
year, when the young girls met in the woods to dance
and play. They went to fetch Snowflake, and said to
Marie : ' Let her come and dance with us/
But Marie was afraid : she could not tell why, only
she could not bear the child to go. Snowflake did not
wish to go either, but they had no excuse ready. So Marie
kissed the girl and said : ' Go, my Snowflake, and be happy
with your friends, and you, dear children, be careful of
her. You know she is the light of my eyes to me.’
' Oh, we will take care of her,’ cried the girls gaily,
and they ran off to the woods. There they wore wreaths,
gathered nosegays, and sang songs—some sad, some
merry. And whatever they did Snowflake did too.
When the sun set they lit a fire of dry grass, and
placed themselves in a row, Snowflake being the last of
all, ' Now watch us,’ they said, ‘ and run just as we do.’
And they all began to sing and to jump one after
another across the fire.
Suddenly, close behind them, they heard a sigh, then
a groan. ^ Ah ! ’ They turned hastily and looked at each
other. There w’as nothing. They looked again. Where
was Snowflake? She has hidden herself for fun, they
thought, and searched for her everywhere. ‘ Snowflake !
Snowflake I ’ But there was no answer. ‘ Where can
she be ? Oh, she must have gone home.’ They returned
to the village, but there was no Snowflake.
For days after that they sought her high and low.
They examined every bush and every hedge, but there
was no Snowflake. And long after everyone else had
given up hope Ivan and Marie would wander through
the woods crying ‘ Snowflake, my dove, come back, come
back ! ’ And sometimes they thought they heard a call,
but it was never the voice of Snowflake.
And what had become of her? Had a fierce wild
beast seized her and dragged her into his lair in the
SNOWFLAKE 147
forest ? Had some bird carried her off across the wide
blue sea ?
No, no beast had touched her, no bird had borne her
away. With the first breath of flame that swept over
her when she ran with her friends Snowflake had melted
away, and a little soft haze floating upwards was all that
remained of her.
I KNOW WHAT I HAVE LB ABN EE ^
Thebe was once a man who had three daughters, and
they were all married to trolls, who lived underground.
One day the man thought that he would pay them a visit,
and his wife gave him some dry bread to eat by the way.
After he had walked some distance he grew both tired
and hungi'y, so he sat down on the east side of a mound
and began to cat his dry bread. The mound then opened,
and his youngest daughter came out of it, and said,
* Why, father ! why are you not coming in to see me ? '
^ Oh,’ said he, ^ if I had known that you lived here,
and had seen any entrance, I would have come in.’
Then he entered the mound along with her.
The troll came home soon after this, and his wife told
him that her father was come, and asked him to go and
buy some beef to make broth with.
* We can get it easier than that I ’ said the troll.
He fixed an iron spike into one of the beams of the
roof, and ran his head against this till he had knocked
several large pieces off his head. He was just as well as
ever after doing this, and they got their broth without
further trouble.
The troll then gave the old man a sackful of money,
and laden with this h® betook himself homewards. When
he came near his home he remembered that he had a
cow about to calve; so he laid down the money on the
ground, ran home as fast as he could, and asked his wife
whether the cow had calved yet.
* From the Banish.
I mw WHAT I HATE LEASHED 149
=da at home i„ , .
A sacUnl „( money r cried Ks mfe.
wonderfilV ' I® 'h*t » very
His wife did not believe very much what he told bpi-
When they came to the spot where he hafi •+
■IrnT ”h“°7 Tr^ “ “
he«ay*' “““ ®i«l<ied him
»teTSvrCne?“ ‘‘’“®
‘ What have you learned ? ’ said she.
150 I KNOW WHAT I HAVE LEABNEH
^ Ah ! I know that/ said the man.
After some time had passed the man had a mind
to visit his second eldest daughter. His wife again gave
him some dry bread to eat, and when he grew tired and
hungry ho sat down on the east side of a mound and
began to oat it. As he sat there his daughter came up
out of the mound, and invited him to come inside, which
he did very willingly.
Soon after this the troll came home. It was dark by
that time, and his wife bade him go and buy some candles.
‘Oh, we shall soon get a light,' said the troll. With
that he dipped his fingers into the fire, and they then
gave light without being burned in the least.
The old man got two sacks of money here, and
plodded away homewards with these. When he was
very nearly home he again thought of the cow that was
with calf, so he laid down the money, ran home, and
asked his wife whether the cow had calved yet.
‘ Whatever is the matter with you ? ' said she. ‘ You
I KNOW WHAT I HAVE LEABNED 151
come hurrying as if the whole house was about to fall.
You may set your mind at rest : the cow has not calved
yet.’
The man now asked her to come and help him home
with the two sacks of money. She did not believe him
very much, but he continued to assure her that it was
quite true, till at last she gave in and went with him.
When they came to the spot there had again been a
thief there and taken the money. It was no wonder that
the woman was angry about this, but the man only said,
‘ Ah, if you only knew what I haye learned.’
A third time the man set out — to visit his eldest
daughter. When he came to a niound he sat down on
the east side of it and ate the dry bread which his wife
had given him to take with him. The daughter then
came out of the mound and invited her father to come
inside.
152 J KNOW WHAT I HAVE LEABNED
In a little the troll came home, and his wife asked
him to go and buy some fish.
‘ We can get them much more easily than that/ said
the troll. ^ Give me your dough trough and your ladle.’
They seated themselves in the trough, and rowed out
on the lake which was beside the mound. When they
had got out a little way the troll said to his wife, ‘ Are
my eyes green ? ’
‘ No, not yet,’ said she.
He rowed on a little further and asked again, ‘Are
my eyes not green yet ? ’
‘ Yes,’ said his wife, ‘ they are green now.’
Then the troll sprang into the water and ladled up so
many fish that in a short time the trough could hold no
more. They then rowed home again, and had a good meal
off the fish.
The old man now got three sacks full of money, and
set off home with them. When he was almost home the
cow again came into his head, and he laid down the
money. This time, however, he took his wooden shoes
and laid them above the money, thinking that no one would
take it after that. Then he ran home and asked his
wife whether the cow had calved. It had not, and she
scolded him again for behaving in this way, but in the
end he persuaded her to go with him to help him with
the three sacks of money.
When they came to the spot they found only the
wooden shoes, for a thief had come along in the mean-
time and taken all the money. The woman was very
angry, and broke out upon her husband ; but he took it all
very quietly, and only said, ‘ Hang the money ! I know
what I have learned.’
‘What have you learned I should like to know?’
said his wife,
‘ You will see that yet,’ said the man.
One day his wife took a fancy for broth, and said to
him, ‘ Oh, go to the village, and buy a piece of beef to
make broth/
1 KNOW WHAT I HAVE LEABNED 153
‘ There’s no need of that,’ said he ; ‘we can get it an
easier way.’ With that he drove a spike into a beam,
and ran his head against it, and in consequence had to lie
in bed for a long time afterwards.
After he had recovered from this his wife asked him
one day to go and buy candles, as they had none.
‘ No,’ he said, ‘ there’s no need for that ; ’ and he
stuck his hand into the fire. This also made him take to
bed for a good while.
When he had got better again his wife one day
wanted fish, and asked him to go and buy some. The
man, however, wished again to show what he had
learned, so he asked her to come along with him and
bring her dough trough and a ladle. They both seated
themselves in this, and rowed upon the lake. When
they had got out a little way the man said, ‘ kie my eyes
green ? ’
‘ No,’ said his wife ; ‘ why should they be ? ’
They rowed a little further out, and he asked again,
‘ Are my eyes not green yet ? ’
‘What nonsense is this?’ said she; ‘why should
they be green ? ’
‘ Oh, my dear,’ said he, ‘ can’t you just say that they
are green ? ’
‘ Very well,’ said she, ‘ they are green.’
As soon as he heard this he sprang out into the
water with the ladle for the fishes, but he just got leave
to stay there with them !
154
niE CUNNING SHOEMAKEB^
Once xipon a time there lived a shoemaker who could get
no work to do, and was so poor that he and his wife
nearly died of hunger. At last he said to her, ‘It is no
use waiting on here— I can find nothing ; so I shall go
down to Mascalucia, and perhaps there I shall be more
lucky.’
So down ho went to Mascalucia, and walked through
the streets crying, ‘ Who wants some shoes? ’ And very
sooit a window was pushed up, and a woman’s head was
thrust out of it.
‘ Here arc a pair for you to patch,’ she said. And he
stit down on her doorstop and set about patching them.
‘How much do I owe you?’ she asked when they
were done.
‘ A shilling.’
* Hero is oightoenpcnco, and good luck to you.’ And
ho went his way. lie turned into the next street and set
up his cry again, and it was not long before another
window was pushed up and another head appeared.
‘ Hero arc some shoos for you to patch.’
And the shoemaker sat down on the doorstep and
patched thorn.
‘How much do I owe you? ’ asked the woman when
the shoes were finished.
* A florin.’
‘ Here is a crowxi piece, and good luck to you.’ And
she shut the window.
* Skilianische Mdlhrchen,
THE CUNNING SHOEMAKEB
155
'Well/ thought the shoemaker, ‘ I have done finely.
But I will not go back to my wife just yet, as, if I only
go on at this rate, I shall soon have enough money to buy
a donkey.’
Having made up his mind what was best to do, he
stayed in the town a few days longer — till he had four gold
pieces safe in his pui'se. Then he went to the market;
and for two of them he bought a good strong donkey, and,
mounting on its back, he rode home to Catania. But as
he entered a thick wood he saw in the distance a band of
robbers who were coming quickly towards him.
' I am lost,’ thought he ; ‘ they are sure to take from
me all the money that I have earned, and I shall be as
poor as ever I was. What can I do? ’ However, being
a clever little man and full of spirit, he did not lose heart,
but, taking five florins, he fastened them out of sight under
the donkey’s thick mane. Then he rode on.
Directly the robbers came up to him they seized
him exactly as he had foretold and took away all his
money.
' Oh, dear friends 1 ’ he cried, wringing his hands, ‘ I
am only a poor shoemaker, and have nothing but this
donkey left in the world.’
As he spoke the donkey gave himself a shake, and
down fell the five florins.
' Where did that come from ? ’ asked the robbers.
' Ah,’ replied the shoemaker, ' you have guessed my
secret. The donkey is a golden donkey, and supplies me
with ail my money.’
' Sell him to us,’ said the robbers, ' We will give you
any price you like.’
The shoemaker at first declared that nothing would
induce him to sell him, but at last he agreed to hand him
over to the robbers for fifty gold pieces. ' But listen to
what I tell you,’ said he. ‘You must each take it in
turn to own him for a night and a day, or else you will
all be fighting over the money.’
THE CUNNING SHOEMAKEE
155
' Well/ thought the shoemaker, ^ I have done finely.
But I will not go back to my wife just yet, as, if I only
go on at this rate, I shall soon have enough money to buy
a donkey.’
Having made up his mind what was best to do, he
stayed in the town a few days longer — till he had four gold
pieces safe in his purse. Then he went to the market,
and for two of them he bought a good strong donkey, and,
mounting on its back, he rode home to Catania. But as
he entered a thick wood he saw in the distance a band of
robbers who were coming quickly towards him.
^ I am lost,’ thought he ; ‘ they are sure to take from
me all the money that I have earned, and I shall be as
poor as ever I was. What can I do? ’ However, being
a clever little man and full of spirit, he did not lose heart,
but, taking five florins, he fastened them out of sight under
the donkey’s thick mane. Then he rode on.
Directly the robbers came up to him they seized
him exactly as he had foretold and took away all his
money.
‘ Oh, dear friends ! ’ he cried, wringing his hands, ‘ I
am only a poor shoemaker, and have nothing but this
donkey left in the world.’
As he spoke the donkey gave himself a shake, and
down fell the five florins.
‘ Where did that come from ? ’ asked the robbers.
‘Ah,’ replied the shoemaker, ‘you have guessed my
secret. The donkey is a golden donkey, and supplies me
with all my money.’
‘ Sell him to us,’ said the robbers. ‘We will give you
any price you like.’
The shoemaker at first declared that nothing would
induce him to sell him, but at last he agreed to hand him
over to the robbers for fifty gold pieces. ‘ But listen to
what I tell you,’ said he. ‘You must each take it in
turn to own him for a night and a day, or else you will
all be fighting over the money/
156
THE CUNNING SHOEMAKER
With these words they parted, the robbers driving
the donkey to their cave in the forest and the shoemaker
returning home, very pleased with the success of his
trick. He just stopped on the way to pick up a good
dinner, and the next day spent most of his gains in buying
a small vineyard.
Meanwhile the robbers had arrived at the cave where
they lived, and the captain, calling them all round him,
announced that it was his right to have the donkey for
the first night. His companions agreed, and then he
told his wife to put a mattress in the stable. She asked
if he had gone out of his mind, but he answered crossly,
^ What is that to you ? Do as you are bid, and to-morrow
I will bring you some treasures.’
Very early the captain awoke and searched the stable,
but could find nothing, and guessed that Master Joseph
had been making fun of them. ' Well,’ he said to
himself, ‘ if I have boon taken in, the others shall not
come off any better.’
So, when one of his men arrived and asked him
eagerly how much money he had got, he answered gaily,
‘ Oh, comrade, if you only knew ! But I shall say
nothing about it till everyone has had his turn I ’
One after another they all took the donkey, but no
money was forthcoming for anybody. At length, when
all the band had been tricked, they held a council, and
resolved to march to the shoemaker’s house and punish
him well for his cunning. Just as before, the shoemaker
saw them a long way off, and began to think how he
could outwit them again. When he had hit upon a plan
he called his wife, and said to her, ‘ Take a bladder and
fill it with blood, and bind it round your neck. When
the robbers come and demand the money they gave me
for the donkey I shall shout to you and tell you to get
it quickly. You must argue with me, and decline to
obey me, and then I shall plunge my knife into the
bladder, and you must fall to the ground as if you were
TEE CUNNING SHOEMAEEE 157
dead. • There you must lie till I play on my guitar ; then
get up and begin to dance.’
The wife made haste to do as she was bid, and there
was no time to lose, for the robbers were drawing very
near the house. They entered with a great noise, and
overwhelmed the shoemaker with reproaches for having
deceived them about the donkey.
‘ The poor beast must have lost its power owing to the
change of masters,’ said he; ^but we will not quarrel
about it. You shall have back the fifty gold pieces that
you gave for him. Aite,’ he cried to his wife, ‘ go quickly to
, the chest upstairs, and bring down the money for these
gentlemen.’
' Wait a little,’ answered she ; ‘ I must first bake this
fish. It will be spoilt if I leave it now.’
‘Go this instant, as you are bid,’ shouted the shoe-
maker, stamping as if he was in a great passion ; but, as
she did not stir, he drew his knife, and stabbed her in the
neck. The blood spurted out freely, and she fell to the
ground as if she was dead.
‘ What have you done ? ’ asked the robbers, looking at
him in dismay. ‘ The poor woman was doing nothing.’
‘ Perhaps I was hasty, but it is easily set right,’ replied
the shoemaker, taking down his guitar and beginning to
play. Hardly had he struck the first notes than his wife
sat up ; then got on her feet and danced.
The robbers stared with open mouths, and at last they
said, ‘ Master Joseph, you may keep the fifty gold pieces.
But tell us what you will take for your guitar, for you
must sell it to us ? ’
‘ Oh, that is impossible! ’ replied the shoemaker, 4or
every time I have a quarrel with my^ wife I just strike
her dead, and so give vent to my anger. This has become
such a habit with me that I don’t think I could break
myself of it ; and, of course, if I got rid of the guitar I
could never bring her back to life again.’
However, the robbers would not listen to him, and
158 THE GUNNING SHOEMAKER
at last lie consented to take forty gold pieces for the
guitar.
Then they all returned to their cave in the forest,
delighted with their new purchase, and longing for a
chance of trying its powers. But the captain declared
that the first trial belonged to him, and after that the
others might have their turn.
That evening he called to his wife and said, ‘ What
have 3 ^ou got for supper ? ’
‘ Macaroni,’ answered she.
‘ Why have you not boiled a fish ? ’ he cried, and
stabbed her in the neck so that she fell dead. The
captain, who was not in the least angry, seized the guitar
and began to play ; but, let him play as loud as he would,
the dead woman never stirred. ‘ Oh, lying shoemaker !
Oh, abominable knave ! Twice has he got the better of
me. But I will pay him out ! ’
So ho raged and swore, but it did him no good. The
fact remained that he had killed his wife and could not
bring her back again.
The next morning came one of the robbers to fetch
the guitar, and to hear what had happened.
‘ Well, how have you got on ? ’
‘ Oh, splendidly ! I stabbed my wife, and then began
to play, and now she is as well as ever.’
*Did you really? Then this evening I will try for
myself.*
Of course the same thing happened over again, till all
the wives had been killed secretly, and when there were
no more left they whispered to each other the dreadful
tale, and swore to be avenged on the shoemaker.
The band lost no time in setting out for his house, and,
as before, the shoemaker saw them coming from afar.
He called to his wife, who was washing in the kitchen :
' Listen, Aita : when the robbers come and ask for me
say I have gone to the vineyard. Then tell the dog to
call me^ and chase him from the house/
THE CUNNING SHOEMAKER
159
When he had given these directions he ran out of the
back door and hid behind a barrel. A few minutes later
the robbers arrived, and called loudly for the shoemaker,
‘ Alas ! good gentlemen, he is up in the vineyard, but
I will send the dog after him at once. Here ! now
quickly to the vineyard, and tell your master some gentle-
men are here who wish to speak to him. Go as fast as
you can.' And she opened the door and let the dog out.
‘ You can really trust the dog to call your husband ? '
asked the robbers.
' Dear me, yes 1 He understands everything, and will
always carry any message I give him.'
By-and-bye the shoemaker came in and said, ‘ Good
morning, gentlemen ; the dog tells me you wish to speak
to me.'
‘ Yes, we do,' replied the robber ; ‘ we have come to
speak to you about that guitar. It is your fault that we
have murdered all our wives ; and, though we played as
you told us, none of them ever came back to life.’
* You could not have played properly,’ said the shoe-
maker. ‘ It was your own fault.’
‘Well, we will forget all about it,’ answered the
robbers, ‘ if you will only sell us your dog.’
‘ Oh, that is impossible ! I should never get on without
him.’
But the robbers offered him forty gold pieces, and at
last he agreed to let them have the dog.
So they departed, taking the dog with them, and when
they got back to their cave the captain declared that it
was his right to have the first trial.
He then caUed his daughter, and said to her, ‘ I am
going to the inn ; if anybody wants m^, loose the dog, and
send him to call me.'
About an hour after some one arrived on business,
and the girl untied the dog and said, ‘ Go to the inn and
call my father ! ’ The dog l^unded off, but ran straight
to the shoemaker.
160
THE CUNNING SH0EMA:^B
When the robber got home and found no dog he
thought ‘ He must have gone back to his old master,’ and,
though night had already fallen, he went off after him.
‘ Master Joseph, is the dog here ? ’ asked he.
' Ah ! yes, the poor beast is so fond of me ! You must
give him time to get accustomed to new ways.’
So the captain brought the dog back, and the following
morning handed him over to another of the band, just
saying that the animal really could do what the shoe-
maker had said.
The second robber carefully kept his own counsel, and
fetcned the dog secretly back from the shoemaker, and so
on through the whole band. At length, when everybody
had suffered, they met and told the whole story, and next
day they all marched off in fury to the man who had
made game of them. After reproaching him with having
deceived them, they tied him up in a sack, and told him
they were going to throw him into the sea. The shoe-
maker lay quite still, and let them do as they would.
They went on till they came to a church, and the
robbers said, ' The sun is hot and the sack is heavy ; let
us leave it here and go in and rest.’ So they put the
sack down by the roadside, and went into the church.
Now, on a hill near by there was a swineherd looking
after a great herd of pigs and whistling merrily.
When Master Joseph heard him he cried out as loud
as he could, ' I won’t ; I won’t, I say.’
‘ What won’t you do ? ’ asked the swineherd.
‘ Oh,’ replied the shoemaker. ‘ They want me to marry
the king’s daughter, and I won’t do it.’
‘ How lucky you are 1 ’ sighed the swineherd. ‘ Now,
if it were only me 1 ^
' Oh, if that’s all ! ’ replied the cunning shoemaker,
' get you into this sack, and let me out.’
Then the swineherd opened the sack and took the
place of the shoemaker, who went gaily off, driving the
pigs before him.
THE CUNNING SHOEMAKER 16l
When the robbers were rested they came out of the
church, took up the sack, and carried it to the sea, where
they threw it in, and it sank directly. As they came
back they met the shoemaker, and stared at him with
open mouths.
‘ Oh, if you only knew how many pigs live in the sea,’
he cried. ‘ And the deeper you go the more there are. I
have just brought up these, and mean to return for some
more.’
' There are still some left there ? ’
Oh, more than I could count,’ replied the shoemaker,
a will show you what you must do.’ Then he led the
robbers back to the shore. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘you must
each of you tie a stone to your necks, so that you may be
sure to go deep enough, for I found the pigs that you saw
very deep down indeed.’
Then the robbers all tied stones round their necks,
and juinped in, and were drowned, and Master Joseph
drove his pigs home, and was a rich man to the end of
his days.
THE KING WHO WOULD HAVE A
BEAUTIFUL WIFE^
Fifty years ago there lived a king who was very anxious
to get married ; but, as he was auite determined that his
wife should be as beautiful as the sun, the thing was not
so easy as it seemed, for no maiden came up to his
standard. Then he commanded a trusty servant to
search through the length and breadth of the land till he
found a girl fair enough to be queen, and if he had the
good luck to discover one he was to bring her back with
him.
The servant sot out at once on his journey, and
sought high and low — in castles and cottages ; but though
pretty maidens were plentiful as blackberries, he felt sure
that none of them would please the king.
One day he had wandered far and wide, and was
feeling very tired and thirsty. By the roadside stood a
tiny little house, and here he knocked and asked for a
cup of water. Now in this house dwelt two sisters, and
one was eighty and the other ninety years old. They
were very poor, and earned their living by spinning.
This had kept their hands very soft and white, like the
hands of a girl, and when the water was passed through
the lattice, and the servant saw the small, delicate
fingers, he said to himself : ‘ A maiden must indeed be
lovbly if she has a hand like that.' And he made haste
back, and told the king.
Sicilicmische Muhrchm.
THE KING'S ^AUTIFUL WIFE 163
' \
‘ Go back at once/ said |his majesty, ‘ and try to get a
sight of her.’
The faithful servant departed on his errand without
losing any time, and again be knocked at the door of the
little house and begged for some water. As before, the
old woman did not open th j <loor, but passed the water
through the lattice.
‘ Do you live here alone ■ asked the man.
* No,’ replied she, ' my sis/ter lives with me. We are
poor girls, and have to work .tor our bread.’
* How old are you ? ’
' I am fifteen, and she is twenty.’
, Then the servant went bank to the king, and told him
all he knew. And his majes y answered : ‘ I will have
the fifteen-year-old one. Go \ md bring her here.’
The servant returned a thL’d time to the little house,
and knocked at the door. Ih reply to his knock the
lattice window was pushed open, and a voice inquired
what it was he wanted.
* The king has desired me hp bring back the youngest
of you to become his queen,’ ho replied.
* Tell his majesty I am ready to do his bidding, but
since my birth no ray of lighi, [has fallen upon my face.
If it should ever do so I instantly grow black.
Therefore beg, I pray you, hi^i^most gracious majesty to
send this evening a shut carr^!©, and I will return in it
to the castle. t
When the king heard tbiu he ordered his great
golden carriage to be prepare<|, and in it to be placed
some magnificent robes ; and' tl le old woman wrapped
herself in a thick veil, and was d riven to the castle.
The king was eagerly awaiting her, and when she
arrived he begged her politely to[ raise her veil and let
him see her face. I
But she answered : * Here , fepers are too bright
and the light too strong. Would, ^^ jhave me turn black
under your very eyes ? ’ *
164
TUB KING’S SBJidb'IFUL WIFE
And the king believed. h€|r v."ords, and the marriage
took place without the veil 'being once lifted. After-
wards, when they were alonoj Me raised the corner, and
knew for the first time that dil had wedded a wrinkled
old woman. And, in a furiQrnsi)iirst of anger, he dashed
open the window and flung h* w out. But, luckily for her,
her clothes caught on a nail |in the wall, and kept her
hanging between heaven aAdi «arth.
While she was thus . tispended, expecting every
moment to be dashed to the .‘ground, four fairies happened
to pass by.
‘Look, sisters/ cried Oiie, ‘surely that is the old
woman that the king sent 'or. Shall we wish that her
clothes may give way, and that she should be dashed to
the gi’ound ? ’
‘ Oh no 1 no ! ’ exclaimed another. ‘ Let us wish her
something good. I myBalf vN'ill wish her youth.’
‘ And i beauty.’ 4
‘ And I wisdom.’ ;
‘ And I a tender hearl.’^.
So spake the fairies^ aiid went their way, leaving the
most beautiful niaidoia iii g'ho world behind them.
The next morning wOien the king looked from his
window he saw this lovolj/ creature hanging on the nail.
‘Ah! what have I #ne|? Surely I must have been
blind last night ! ’ . j
And he ordered long ladders to be brought and thd
maiden to be rescued. Thm ho fell on his knees before
her, and prayed her to forgive him, and a great feast was
made in her honour/ ; ^
Some days aft^fcfcmff the ninety-y car-old sister to
the palace and ask^forJ queen.
‘ Who is that bi^onlyd witch ? ’ said the king.
‘ Oh, an old ne^^Mpdf mine, who is half silly,’ she
replied, ^
But the old w^ra^^bked at her steadily, and knew
her again, and have you managed to grow
166 THE KING'S BEAUTIFUL WIFE
This question she repeated the whole day Ion<^ till at
ength the queen lost patience and said : ‘I had my old
head cut off, and this new head grew in its place ’
_ Then the old woman went to a barber, and spoke to
him, saying, ‘ I wiU pve you all you ask if you will only
cut off my head, so that I may become young and love J
But, my good woman, if I do that you will die ' ’ '
But the old woman would listen to nothing ; and at
last the barber took out his knife and struck the first
blow at her neck.
‘ Ah ! ’ she shrieked as she felt the pain
' ll faut souffrir pour 6tre belle,’ said the barber, who
had been in France.
And at the second blow her head rolled off, and the
old woman was dead for good and all.
167
CATHEBINE AND HER DESTINY'
Long ago there lived a rich merchant who, besides pos-
sessing more treasures than king in the world, had in
his great hall three chairs, one of silver, one of gold, and
one of diamonds. But his greatest treasure of all was
his only daughter, who was called Catherine.
One day Catherine was sitting in her own room when
suddenly the door flew open, and in came a tall and
beautiful woman holding in her hands a little wheSl.
‘ Catherine,’ she said, going up to the girl, ^ which
would you rather have — a happy youth or a happy old
age?’
Catherine was so taken by surprise that she did not
know what to answer, and the lady repeated again,
‘Which would you rather have — a happy youth or a
happy old age ? ’
Then Catherine thought to herself, ‘ If I say a happy
youth, then I shall have to suffer all the rest of my life.
No, I would bear trouble now, and have something better
to look forward to,’ So she looked up and replied,
‘ Give me a happy old age.’
' So be it,’ said the lady, and turned her wheel as
she spoke, vanishing the next moment as suddenly as
she had come.
Now this beautiful lady was the Destiny of poor
Catherine.
Sicilianische Mahrohen, von Laura G-onzenbach Leipzig.
Engelmann, 1870r (
1C8 CATIIEmNI] AND HER DESTINY
Only Ji few days after this the merchant heard the
news that all his finest ships, laden with the richest mer*
chandise, had been sunk in a storm, and he was left a
beggar. The shock \vas too much for him. He took to
his bed, and in a short time he was dead of his dis-
appointment.
So poor Catherine was left alone in the world without
a penny or a creature to help her. But she was a brave
girl and full of spirit, and soon made up her mind that
tlio best thing she could do was to go to the nearest town
and become a servant. She lost no time in getting hersejf
ready, and did not take long over her journey ; and as she
was passing down the chief street of the town a noble
lady saw her out of the window, and, struck by her sad
face, said to her : ‘ Where are you going all alone, my
pretty girl?’
‘ Ah, my lady, I am very poor, and must go to service
to earn my broad.’
‘ I will take you into my service,’ said she ; and
Catlicrino served her well.
Some time after her mistress said to Catherine, ‘ I am
obliged to go out for a long while, and must lock the
house door, so that no thieves shall get in.’
So she went away, and Catherine took her work and
sat down at the window. Suddenly the door burst open,
and in came her Destiny.
' Oh ! so here you are, Catherine ! Did you really
think I was going to leave you in peace ? ’ And as she
spoke she walked to the linen press where Catherine’s
mistress kept all her finest sheets and underclothes, tore
everything in pieces, „and flung them on the floor. Poor
Catherine wrung her hands and wept, for she thought to
herself, ^ When my lady comes back and sees all this ruin
she will think it is ray fault/ and, starting up, she fled
through the open door. Then Destiny took all the pieces
and made them whole again, and put them back in the
press, and when everything was tidy she too left the house.
170 CATHEIUNE AND HER DESTINY
When the mistress reached home she called Catherine,
but no Catherine was there. ' Can she have robbed me ? '
tlioiight the old lady, and looked hastily round the house ;
but nothing was missing. She wondered why Catherine
should have disappeared like this, but she heard no more
of her, and in a few days she filled her place.
Meanwhile Catherine wandered on and on, without
knowing very well where she was going, till at last she
came to another town. Just as before, a noble lady
happened to see her passing her window, and called out
to lier, ' Where are you going all alone, my pretty girl? ’
And Catherine answered, ' Ah, my lady, I am very
poor, and must go to service to earn my bread,’
* I will take you into my service/ said the lady ; and
Catlieritie served her well, and hoped she might now
he hdt in peace. But, exactly as before, one day that
(’atherinc was left in the house alone her Destiny came
again amt spoke to her with hard words : ‘ What 1 are
you here now ? ' And in a passion she tore up every-
thing she sa\v, till in sheer misery poor Catherine rushed
out of the house. And so it befell for seven years, and
directly Catherine found a fresh place her Destiny came
and forced her to leave it.
After seven years, however, Destiny seemed to get
tired of persecuting her, and a time of peace set in for
Catharinv*). When she had been chased away from her
last house by Destiny’s wicked pranks she had taken
service with another lady, w'ho told her that it would be
part of her daily work to walk to a mountain that over-
shadowed the town, and, climbing up to the top, she
was to lay on the ground some loaves of freshly baked
bread, and cry with a loud voice* * 0 Destiny, my mistress,’
three times. Then ‘her lady’s Destiny would come and
take away the offering. ‘ That will I gladly do/ said
Catherine.
Bo the years went by, and Catherine was still there,
and every day she climbed the mountain with her basket
GATHEBINE AND HEB DESTINY 171
of bread on her arm. She was happier than she had been,
but sometimes, when no one saw her, she would weep as she
thought over her old hfe, and how different it was to the
one she was now leading. One day her lady saw her, and
said, ‘ Catherine, what is it ? Why are you always weep-
ing ? * And then Catherine told her story,
‘ I have got an idea,’ exclaimed the lady. ^ To-morrow,
when you take the bread to the mountain, you shall pray
my Destiny to speak to yours, and entreat her to leave
you in peace. Perhaps something may come of it ! ’
At these words Catherine dried her eyes, and next
morning, when she climbed the mountain, she told all she
had suffered, and cried, ‘ 0 Destiny, my mistress, pray, I
entreat you, of my Destiny that she may leave me in
peace.*
And Destiny answered, * Oh, my poor girl, know you
not your Destiny lies buried under seven coverlids, and
can hear nothing? But if you will come to-morrow I
will bring her with me/
And after Catherine had gone her way her lady’s
Destiny went to find her sister, and said to her, ‘ Dear
sister, has not Catherine suffered enough ? It is surely
time for her good days to begin ? ’
And the sister answered, ' To-morrow you shall bring
her to me, and I will give her something that may help
her out of her need.’
The next morning Catherine set out earlier than usual
for the mountain, and her lady’s Destiny took the girl by
the hand and led her to her sister, who lay under the
seven coverlids. And her Destiny held out to Catherine
a ball of silk, saying, ' Keep this— it ^ay be useful some
day ; ’ then puUed the coverings over her head again.
But Catherine walked sadly down the hill, and went
straight to her lady and showed her the silken ball, which
was the end of all her high hopes.
‘ What shall I do with it ? ’ she asked. ‘ It is not
worth sixpence, and it is no good to ine 1’
174
HOW THE HERMIT HELPED TO WIN
THE KINHS DAUGHTERS
Long ago there lived a very rich man who had three
sons. When he felt himself to be dying he divided his
property between them, making them share alike, both in
money and lands. Soon after he died the king set forth
a proclamation through the whole country that whoever
could build a ship that should float both on land and sea
should have his daughter to wife.
The eldest brother, when he heard it, said to the other,
‘I think I will spend some of my money in trying to
build that ship, as I should like to have the king for my
fatherdn-law.’ So he called together all the shipbuilders
in the land, and gave them orders to begin the ship with-
out delay. And trees were cut down, and great prepara-
tions made, and in a few days everybody knew what it
was all for ; and there was a crowd of old people pressing
round the gates of the yard, where the young man spent
the most of his day.
" Ah, master, give us work,’ they said, * so that we may
earn our bread.’
But he only gave them hard words, and spoke roughly
to them. ‘ You are old, ^nd have lost your strength ; of
what use are you ? ’ And he drove them away. Then
came some boys and prayed him, * Master, give us work,’
but he answered them, * Of what use can you be, weak-
lings as you are ! Get you gone ! ’ And if any presented
^ Sicilianische MUhrehen,
TEE HERMIT AND KING^S DAUGHTEB 175
themselves that were not skilled workmen he would
have none of them.
At last there knocked at the gate a little old man with ^
a long white beard, and said, ‘ Will you give me Avork, so
that I may earn my bread ? ’ But he was only driven
away like the rest.
The ship took a long while to build, and cost a great
deal of money, and when it was launched a sudden
squall rose, and it fell to pieces, and with it all the young
man’s hopes of winning the princess. By this time he
had not a penny left, so he went back to his two brothers
and told his tale. And the second brother said to himself'
as he listened, ‘ Certainly he has managed very badly,
but I should like to see if I can’t do better, and win the
princess for my own self.’ So he called together all the
shipbuilders throughout the country, and gave them orders
to build a ship which should float on the land as well
as on the sea. But his heart was no softer than his
brother’s, and every man that was not a skilled workman
was chased away with hard words. Last came the white'
bearded man, but he fared no better than the rest.
When the ship was finished the launch took place,
and everything seemed going smoothly when a gale
sprang up, and the vessel was dashed to pieces on the
rocks. The young man had spent his whole fortune on
it, and now it was all swallowed up, was forced to beg
shelter from his youngest brother. When he told his
story the youngest said to himself, ‘I am not rich
enough to support us all three. I had better take my
turn, and if I manage to win the princess there will be
her fortune as well as my own for us to live on/ So he
called together all the shipbuilders in the kingdom, and
gave orders that a new ship should be built. Then all the
old people came and asked for work, and he answered
cheerfully, ' Oh, yes, there is plenty for everybody ; ’ and
when the boys begged to be allowed to help he found
something that they could do. And when the old man
176 THE HEBMIT AND KINGE DAUGHTBB
with the long white beard stood before him, praying that
he might earn his bread, he replied, ' Oh, father, I could
not suffer you to work, but you shall be overseer, and
look after the rest.'
Now the old man was a holy hermit, and when he
saw how kind-hearted the youth was he determined to
do all he could for him to gain the wish of his heart.
By-and-bye, when the ship was finished, the hermit
said to his young friend, ‘ Now you can go and claim the
king’s daughter, for the ship will float both by land and
sea.’
* Oh, good father,’ cried the young man, ‘ you will not
forsake me ? Stay with me, I pray you, and lead me to
the king 1 ’
' If you wish it, I will,’ said the hermit, ‘ on condition
that you will give me half of anything you get.’
' Oh, if that is all,’ answered he, ‘ it is easily promised ! ’
And they set out together on the ship.
After they had gone some distance they saw a man
standing in a thick fog, which he was trying to put into
a sack.
*Oh, good father,’ exclaimed the youth, ‘what can
he be doing ? ’
‘Ask him,’ said the old man.
‘ What are you doing, my fine fellow ? ’
‘I am putting the fog into my sack. That is my
business,’
‘Ask him if he will come with us,’ whispered the
hermit.
And the man answered : ‘ If you will give me enough
to eat and drink I will gladly stay with you.’
So they took him on their ship, and the youth said, as
they started off again, ‘ Good father, before we were two,
and now we are three ! ’
After they had travelled a little further they met a
man who had torn up^ half the forest, and was carrying
all the trees on his shoulders.
EOW THEY MET THE ARCHEB IN THE STREAH
178 THE HEBMIT AND KING'S DAUGHTEB
' Good father,’ exclaimed the youth, ‘ only look I
What can he have done that for ? ’
* Ask him why he has torn up all those trees.’
And the man replied, ‘ Why, I’ve merely been
gathering a handful of brushwood.’
' Beg him to come with us,’ whispered the hermit.
And the strong man answered : ‘ Willingly, as long as
you give me enough to eat and drink.’ And he came on
the ship. .
And the youth said to the hermit, ‘ Good father, before
we were three, and now we are four.’
The ship travelled on agean, and some miles further
on they saw a man drinking out of a stream till he had
nearly drunk it dry.
^ Good father,’ said the youth, ‘ just look at that man !
Did you ever see anybody drink like that ? ’
* Ask him why he does it,’ answered the hermit.
* Why, there is nothing very odd in taking a mouthful
of water ! ’ replied the man, standing up.
* Beg him to come with us.’ And the youth did so.
‘With pleasure, .as long as you g.ive me enough to eat
and drink.’
And the youth whispered to the hermit, ‘ Good father,
before we were four, and now we are five.’
A little way along they noticed another man in the
middle of a stream, who was shooting into the water.
‘Good father,’ said the youth, ‘what can he be
shooting at ? ’
‘ Ask him,’ answered the hermit.
‘ Hush, hush I ’ cried the man ; ‘ now you have
frightened it away. In the Underworld sits a quail on a
tree, and I wanted fo shoot it. That is my business. I
hit everything I aim at.*
‘ Ask him if he will come with us.’
And the man replied, ‘ With all my heart, as long as
I get enough to eat and drink.’
So they took him into the ship, and the young man
THE HEBMIT AND KINGE DAUGHTEB 179
whispered, ‘ Good father, before we were five, and now
we are six.’
Off they went again, and before they had gone far
they met a man striding towards them whose steps were
so long that while one foot was on the north of the
island the other was right down in the south.
‘ Good father, look at him ! What long steps he takes ! ’
' Ask him why he does it,’ replied the hermit.
‘ Oh, I am only going out for a little walk,*
answered he.
‘ Ask him if he will come with us.’
‘ Gladly, if you will give me as much as I want to eat
and drink,’ said he, climbing up into the ship.
And the young man whispered, ‘ Good father, before
we were six, and now we are seven.’ But the hermit
knew what he was about, and why he gathered these
strange people into the ship.
After many days, at last they reached the town where
lived the king and his daughter. They stopped the
vessel right in front of the palace, and the young man
went in and bowed low before the king.
‘ 0 Majesty, I have done your bidding, and now is
the ship built that can travel over land and sea. Give me
my reward, and let me have your daughter to wife.’
But the king said to himself, * What 1 am I to wed
my daughter to a man of whom I know nothing? Not
even whether he be rich or poor — a knight or a beggar.’
And aloud he spake : ‘ It is not enough that you
have managed to build the ship. You must find a runner
who shall take this letter to the ruler of the Underworld,
and bring me the answer back in an hour.’
‘ That is not in the bond,’ answered the young man.
‘ Well, do as you like,’ replied the king, ' only you
will not get my daughter.’
The young man went out, sorely troubled, to tell his
old friend what had happened.
‘ Silly boy 1 ’ cried the hermit. ‘ Accept his terms at
1(2
180 TEE EEBMIT AND KING^S DAUGHTEB
once. And send off the long-legged man with the letter.
He will take it in no time at all.’
So the youth’s heart leapt for joy, and he returned to
the king. ' Majesty, I accept your terms. Here is the
messenger who will do what you wish.’
The king had no choice but to give the man the
letter, and he strode off, making short work of the
distance that lay between the palace and the Underworld.
He soon found the ruler, who looked at the letter, and
said to him, ‘ Wait a little while I write the answer ; ’ but
the man was so tired with his quick walk that he went
sound asleep, and forgot all about his errand.
All this time the youth was anxiously counting the
minutes till he could get back, and stood with his eyes
hxed on the road down which his messenger must come.
. ‘ What can be keeping him ? ’ he said to the hermit
when the hour was nearly up.
Then the hermit sent for the man who could hit every
thing he aimed at, and said to him, ‘ Just see why the
messenger stays so long.’
‘ Oh, he is sound asleep in the palace of the Under-
world. However, I can soon wake him.’
Then he drew his bow, and shot an arrow straight
into the man’s knee The messenger awoke with a start,
and when he saw that the hour had almost run out he
snatched up the answer and rushed back with such
speed that the clock had not yet struck when he entered
the palace.
Now the young man thought he was sure of his
bride, but the king said, * Still you have not done enough.
Before I give you my daughter you must find a man
who can drink half the contents of my cellar in one day.’
‘ That is not in the bond,’ complained the poor youth.
‘Well, do as ‘you like, only you will not get my
daughter.’
The young man went sadly out, and asked the hermit
what he was to do.
THE HEliMIT AND KING'S DAUGHTER 181
' Silly boy ! ^ said he. ^ Why, tell the man to do it
who drinks up everything/
So they sent for the man and said, ‘ Do you think you
are able to drink half the royal cellar in one day ? ’
‘ Dear me, yes, and as much more as you want,’
answered he. ‘ I am never satisfied.’
The king was not pleased at the young man agreeing
so readily, but he had no choice, and ordered the servant
to be taken downstairs. Oh, how he enjoyed himself 1
All day long he drank, and drank, and drank, till, instead
of half the cellar, he had drunk the whole, and there was
not a cask but what stood empty. And when the king
saw this he said to the youth, ‘ You have conquered, and
I can no longer withhold my daughter. But, as her
dowry, I shall only give so much as one man can carry
away.’
' But,’ answered he, ‘ let a man be ever so strong, he
cannot carry more than a hundredweight, and what is
tihat for a king’s daughter ? ’
‘ Well, do as you like ; I have said my say. It is
your affair — not mine/
The young man was puzzled, and did not know what
to reply, for, though he would gladly have married the
princess without a sixpence, he had spent all his money
in building the ship, and knew he could not give her all
she wanted. So he went to the hermit and said to him,
‘ The king will only give for her dowry as much as a
man can carry. I have no money of my own left, and
my brothers have none either.’
‘ Silly boy I Why, you have only got to fetch the man
who carried half the forest on his shoulders.’
And the youth was glad, and called the strong man,
and told him what he must do, ' Take everything you
can, tiU you are bent double. Never mind if you leave
the palace bare.’
The strong man promised, and nobly kept his word.
He piled all he could see on his back — chairs, tables
182 THE BEBMIT AND KIN&S DAUGHTEB
wardrobes, chests of gold and silver — till there was
nothing' left to pile. At last he took the king’s crown,
and put it on the top. He carried his burden to the
ship and stowed his treasures away, and the youth
followed, leading the king’s daughter. But the king was
left raging in his empty palace, and he called together
his army, and got ready his ships of war, in order that he
might go after the vessel and bring back what had been
taken away.
And the king’s ships sailed very fast, and soon caught
tip the little vessel, and the sailors all shouted for joy.
Then the hermit looked out and saw how near they were,
and he said to the youth, ' Do you see that ? ’
The youth shrieked and cried, ‘ Ah, good father, it is
a fleet of ships, and they are chasing us, and in a few
moments they will be upon us.*
THE HEBMIT AND KING^S DA UGHTEB 183
But the hermit bade him call the man who had the
fog in his sack, and the sack was opened and the fog
flew out, and hung right round the king’s ships, so that
they could see nothing. So they sailed back to the
palace, and told the king what strange things had
happened. Meanwhile the young man’s vessel reached
home in safety.
‘ Well, here you are once more,’ said the hermit ; ‘ and
now you can fulfil the promise you made me to give me
the half of all you had.’
‘ That will I do with all my heart,’ answered the
youth, and began to divide all his treasures, putting part
on one side for himself and setting aside the other for
his friend. ‘ Good father, it is finished,’ said he at length ;
' there is nothing more left to divide.’
‘Nothing more left!’ cried the hermit. ‘Why, you
have forgotten the best thing of all ! ’
‘What can that be?’ asked he. ‘We have divided
everything.’
‘ And the king’s daughter ? ’ said the hermit.
Then the young man’s heart stood still, for he loved
her dearly. But he answered, ‘ It is well ; I have
sworn, and I will keep my word,’ and drew his sword to
cut her in pieces. When the hermit saw that he held
his honour dearer than his wife he lifted his hand and
cried ‘ Hold ! she is yours, and aU the treasures too. I
gave you my help because you had pity on those that
were in need. And when you are in need yourself, call
upon me, and I will come to you.’
As he spoke he softly touched their heads and
vanished.
The next day the wedding took, place, and the two -
brothers came to the house, and they all lived happily
together, but they never forgot the* holy man who had
been such a good friend.
TEE WATER OF LIFE^
Thbee brothers and one sister lived together in a small
cottage, and they loved one another dearly. One day the
eldest brother, who had never done anything but amuse
himself from sunrise to sunset, said to the rest, ^ Let us
all work hard, and perhaps we shall grow rich, and be
able to build ourselves a palace.'
And his brothers and sister answered joyfully, ‘ Yes,
we will all work 1 '
So they fell to working with all their might, till at last
they became rich, and were able to build themselves a
beautiful palace; and everyone came from miles round
to see its wonders, and to say how splendid it was. No
one thought of finding any faults, till at length an old
woman, who had been walking through the rooms with a
crowd of people, suddenly exclaimed, ‘Yes, it is a
splendid palace, but there is still something it needs ! ’
‘ And what may that be ? ’
‘ A church.’
When they heard this the brothers set to work again
to earn some more money, and when they had got
enough they set about building a church, which should
be as large and beautiful as the palace itself.
And “after the church was finished greater numbers
of people than ever, fiocked to see the palace and the
church and vast gardens and magnificent halls.
> Cuentos Populars Catalans, per lo Dr. D. Francisco de S.
Maspons y Labros. Barcelona, 1885 .
THE WATER OF LIFE
185
But one day, as the brothers were as usual doing the
honours to their guests, an old man turned to them and
said, ‘ Yes, it is all most beautiful, but there is still
something it needs ! ’
‘ And what may that be? ’
^ A pitcher of the water of life, a branch of the tree
the smell of whose flowers gives eternal beauty, and the
talking bird/
* And where am I to find all those ? ’
^ Go to the mountain that is far off yonder, and you
will find what you seek.’
After the old man had bowed politely and taken
farewell of them the eldest brother said to the rest, ‘ I
will go in search of the water of life, and the talking
bird, and the tree of beauty.’
‘But suppose some evil thing befalls you? ’ asked his
sister. ‘ How shall we know ? ’
‘ You are right,’ he replied ; ‘ i had not thought of
that I ’
Then they followed the old man, and said to him,.
‘ My eldest brother wishes to seek for the water of life,
and the tree of beauty, and the talking bird, that you tell
him are needful to make our palace perfect. But how
shall we know if any evil thing befall him ? ’
So the old man took them a knife, and gave it to
them, saying, ‘ Keep this carefully, and as long as the
blade is bright all is well ; but if the blade is bloody,
then know that evil has befallen him.’
The brothers thanked him, and departed, and went
straight to the palace, where they found the young man
making ready to set out for the mountain where the
treasures he longed for lay hid.
And he walked, and he walked, and he walked, till he
had gone a great way, and there he met a giant.
‘ Can you tell me how much further I have still to go
before I reach that mountain yonder ? ’
* And why do you wish to go there ? ’
186
TEE WATEB OF LIFE
‘ I am seeking the water of life, the talking bird, and
a branch of the tree of beauty.’
‘ Many have passed by seeking those treasures, but
none have ever come back; and you will never come
back either, unless you mark my words. Follow this
path, and when you reach the mountain you will find it
covered with stones. Do not stop to look at them, but
keep on your way. As you go you will hear scoffs and
laughs behind you ; it will be the stones that mock. Do
not heed them ; above all, do not turn round, If you do
you will become as one of them. Walk straight on till
you get to the top, and then take all you wish for.’
The young man thanked him for his counsel, and
walked, and walked, and walked, till he reached the
mountain. And as he climbed he heard behind him
scoffs and jeers, but he kept his ears steadily closed to
them. At last the noise grew so loud that he lost
patience, and he stooped to pick up a stone to hurl into
the midst of the clamour, when suddenly his arm seemed
to stiffen, and the next moment he was a stone himself !
That day his sister, who thought her brother’s steps
were long in returning, took out the knife and found the
blade was red as blood. Then she cried out to her
brothers that something terrible had come to pass.
* I will go and find him,’ said the second. And he
went.
And he walked, and he walked, and he walked, till he
met the giant, and asked him if he had seen a young
man travelling towards the mountain.
And the giant answered, ‘ Yes, I have seen him pass,
but I have not seen him come back. The spell must
have worked upon him.’
‘ Then what can I do to disenchant him, and find the
water of life, the talking bird, and a branch of the tree
of beauty?’
* Follow this path, and when you reach the mountain
you will find it covered with stones. Do not stop to look
TRE WATER OF LIFE
387
at them, but climb steadily on. Above all, heed not the
laughs and scoffs that will arise on all sides, and never
turn round. And when you reach the top you can then
take all you desire.’
The young man thanked him for his counsel, and set
out for the mountain. But no sooner did he reach it
than loud jests and gibes broke out on every side, and
almost deafened him. For some time he let them rail,
and pushed boldly on, till he had passed the place which
his brother had gained ; then suddenly he thought that
among the scoffing sounds he heard his brother’s voice.
He stopped and looked back; and another stone was
added to the number.
Meanwhile the sister left at home was counting the
days when her two brothers should return to her. The
time seemed long, and it would be hard to say how often
she took out the knife and looked at its polished blade
to make sure that this one at least was still safe. The
blade was always bright and clear ; each time she looked
she had the happiness of knowing that all was well, till
one evening, tired and anxious, as she frequently was
at the end of the day, she took it from its drawer, and
behold ! the blade was red with blood. Her cry of horror
brought her youngest brother to her, and, unable to speak,
she held out the Imife 1
‘ I will go,’ he said.
So he walked, and he walked, and he walked, until he
met the giant, and he asked, ‘Have two young men,
making for yonder mountain, passed this way ? ’
And the giant answered, ‘ Yes, they have passed by,
but they never came back, and by this I know that the
spell has fallen upon them.’
‘ Then what must I do to free them, and to get the
water of life, and the talking bird, and the branch of the
tree of beauty?’
‘ Go to the mountain, which you will find so thickly
covered with stones that you will hardly be able to place
188
THE WATEB OF LIFE
your feet, and walk straight forward, turning neither tc
the right hand nor to the left, and paying no heed to the
laughs and scoffs which will follow you, till you reach
the top, and then you may take all that you desire.’
The young man thanked the giant for his counsel
and set forth to the mountain. And when he began to
climb there burst forth all around him a storm of scoffs
and jeers ; but he thought of the giant’s words, and looked
neither to the right hand nor to the left, till the mountain
top lay straight before him. A moment now and he
would have gained it, when, through the groans and yells
he heard his brothers’ voices. He turned, and there was
one stone the more.
And all this while his sister was pacing up and down
the palace, hardly letting the knife out of her hand, and
dieading what she knew she would see, and what she did
see. The blade grew red before her eyes, and she said,
‘ Jnow it IS my turn.’
So she walked, and she walked, and she walked till
she came to the giant, and prayed him to tell her if he
had seen three young men pass that way seeking the
distant mountain. °
‘ I have seen them pass, but they have never returned
and by this I know that the spell has fallen upon them.’
And what must I do to set them free, and to find the
water of life, and the talking bird, and a branch of the
tree of beauty ? ’
‘ You must go to that mountain, which is so full of
stones that your feet will hardly find a place to tread, and
as you chmb you wiU hear a noise as if all the stones in
the world were mocking you; but pay no heed to any-
gSa “.“Cg"’
thanked 'him for his counsel, and set out for
the mountam; and scarcely had she gone a few steps
and The broke forth around her,
and she felt as if each stone she trod on was a hvin^
THE WATEB OF LIFE
189
thing. But she remembered the words of the giant, and
knew not what had befallen her brothers, and kept her
face steadily towards the mountain top, which grew
nearer and nearer every moment. But as she mounted
the clamour increased sevenfold: high above them all
rang the voices of her three brothers. But the girl took
no heed, and at last her feet stood upon the top.
Then she looked round, and saw, lying in a hollow, the
pool of the water of life. And she took the brazen
pitcher that she had brought with her, and filled it to the
brim. By the side of the pool stood "the tree of beauty,
with the talking bird on one of its boughs; and she
caught the bird, and placed it in a cage, and broke off one
of the branches.
190
TEE WATEB OF LIFE
After that she turned, and went joyfully down the hill
again, carrying her treasures, but her long climb had tired
her out, and the brazen pitcher was very heavy, and as
she walked a few drops of the water spilt on the stones,
and as it touched them they changed into young men and
maidens, crowding about her to give thanks for their
deliverance.
So she learnt by this how the evil spell might be
broken, and she carefully sprinkled every stone till there
was not one left— only a great company of youths and
girls who followed her down the mountain.
When they arrived at the palace she did not lose a
moment in planting the branch of the tree of beauty and
watering it with the water of life. And the branch shot
up into a tree, and was heavy with flowers, and the talk-
ing bird nestled in its branches.
Now the fame of these wonders was noised abroad, and
the people flocked in great numbers to see the three
marvels, and the maiden who had won them ; and among
the sightseers came the king’s son, who would not
go till everything was shown him, and till he had heard how
it had aU happened. And the prince admired the strange-
ness and beauty of the treasures in the palace, but more
than aU he admired the beauty and courage of the maiden
who had brought them there. So he went home and
told his parents, and gained their consent to wed her for
his wife.
Then the marriage was celebrated in the church adjoin-
ing the palace. Then the bridegroom took her to his own
home, where they lived happy for ever after.
THE WOUNDED LION ^
Thebe was once a girl so poor that she had nothing to
live on, and wandered about the world asking for charity.
One day she arrived at a thatched cottage, and inquired
if they could give her any work. The farmer said he
wanted a cowherd, as his own had left him, and if the
girl liked the place she might take it. So she became a
cowherd.
One morning she was driving her cows through the
meadows when she heard near by a loud groan that
almost sounded human. She hastened to the spot
from which the noise came, and found it proceeded from a
lion who lay stretched upon the ground.
You can guess how frightened she was ! But the
lion seemed in such pain that she was sorry for him, and
drew nearer and nearer till she saw he had a large thorn
in one foot. She pulled out the thorn and bound up the
place, and the lion was grateful, and licked her hand by
way of thanks with his big rough tongue.
When the girl had finished she went back to find the
cows, but they had gone, and though she hunted every-
where she never found them ; and she had to return home
and confess to her master, who scolded her bitterly, and
afterwards heat her. Theri he said, ‘ Now you will have
to look after the assps.-
So every day^ she had to take the asses to the woods
to feed, until one morning, exactly a year after she had
Cximtos Pqpulars Catalans,
192
THE WOUNDED LION
found the lion, she heard a groan which sounded quite
human. She went straight to the place from which the
noise came, and, to her great surprise, beheld the same
lion stretched on the ground with a deep wound across
his face.
This time she was not afraid at all, and ran towards
him, washing the wound and laying soothing herbs upon
it ; and when she had bound it up the lion thanked her
in the same manner as before.
After that she returned to her flock, but they were
nowhere to be seen. She searched here and she searched
there, but they had vanished completely !
Then she had to go home and confess to her master,
who first scolded her and afterwards beat her. ‘ Now go,’
he ended, ' and look after the pigs ! ’
So the next day she took out the pigs, and found them
such good feeding grounds that they grew fatter every
day.
Another year passed by, and one morning when the
maiden was out with her pigs she heard a groan which
sounded quite human. She ran to see what it was, and
found her old friend the lion, wounded through and through,
fast dying under a tree.
She. fell on her knees before him and washed his
wounds one by one, and laid healing herbs upon them.
And the lion licked her hands and thanked her, and asked
if she would not stay and sit by him. But the girl said
she Had her pigs to watch, and she must go and see after
them.
So she ran to the place where she had left them, but
they had vanished as if the earth had swallowed them up.
She whistled and called, but only the birds answered
her.
Then she sank down on the ground and wept bitterly,
not daring to return home until some hours had passed
away.
And when she had had her cry out she got up and
194
THE WOUNDED LION
searched all up and down the wood. But it was no use ;
there was not a sign of the pigs.
At last she thought that perhaps if she climbed a tree
she might see further. But no sooner was she seated on,
the highest branch than something happened which put,
the pigs quite out of her head. This was a handsome'
young man who was coming down the path ; and when
he had almost reached the tree he pulled aside a rock and
disappeared behind it.
The maiden rubbed her eyes and wondered if she had
been dreaming. Next she thought, ‘ I will not stir from
here till I see him come out, and discover who he is.*
Accordingly she waited, and at dawn the next morning
the rock moved to one side and a lion came out.
When he had gone quite out of sight the girl climbed
down from the tree and went to the rock, which she pushed
aside, and entered the opening before her. The path led
to a beautiful house. She went in, swept and dusted the
furniture, and put everything tidy. Then she ate a very
good dinner, which was on a shelf in the corner, and once
more clambered up to the top of her tree.
As the sun set she saw the same young man walking
gaily down the path, and, as before, he pushed aside the
rock and disappeared behind it.
Next morning out came the lion. He looked sharply
about him on all sides, but saw no one, and then
vanished into the forest.
The maiden then came down from the tree and did
exactly as she had done the day before. Thus three
days went by, and every day she went and tidied up
the palace. At length, when the girl fotmd she was no
nearer, to discovering the secret, she resolved to ask
NMm, and ^in the evening when she caught sight of him
cotong through the wood she came down from the tree
and^^ged him to tell her his name.
TheVyoung man looked very pleased to see her, and
said he thought it must be sJae who had secretly kept
THE WOUNDED LION
196
his house for so many days. And he added that he was
a prince enchanted by a powerful giant, but was only
allowed to take his own shape at night, for all day he was
forced to appear as the lion whom she had so often helped ;
and, more than this, it was the giant who had stolen the
oxen and the asses and the pigs in revenge for her
kindness.
And the girl asked him, * What can I do to disenchant
you?’
But he said he was afraid it was very difficult, because
the only way was to get a lock of hair from the head of a
king’s daughter, to spin it, and to make from it a cloak
for the giant, who lived up on the top of a high mountain.
‘ Very well,’ answered the girl, ‘ I will go to the city,
and knock at the door of the king’s palace, and ask
the princess to take me as a servant.’
So they parted, and when she arrived at the city she
walked about the streets crying, ' Who will hire me for a
servant ? Who will hire me for a servant ? ’ But, though
many people liked her looks, for she was clean and neat,
the maiden would listen to none, and still continued
crying, ' Who vnll hire me for a servant ? Who will hire
me for a servant ? ’
At last there came the waiting-maid of the princess.
‘ What can you do ? ’ she said ; and the girl was forced
to confess that she could do very little.
' Then you will have to do scullion’s work, and wash
up dishes,’ said she ; and they went straight back to the
palace.
Then the maiden dressed her hair afresh, and made
herself look very neat and smart, and everyone admired
and praised her, till by-and-bye it came to the ears of the
princess. And she sent for the girl, and when she saw
her, and how beautifully she had dressed her , hair, the
princess told her she was to come and comb out hers.
Now the hair of the princess was very thick and
long, and shone like the sun. And the girl combed it and
196
THE WOUNDED LION
combed it till it was brighter than ever. And the princess
was pleased, and bade her come every day and comb her
hair, till at length the girl took courage, and begged leave
to cut off one of the long, thick locks.
The princess, who was very proud of her hair, did not
like the idea of parting with any of it, so she said no.
But the girl could not give up hope, and each day she
entreated to be allowed to cut off just one tress. At
length the princess lost patience, and exclaimed, ‘You
may have it, then, on condition that you shall find the
handsomest prince in the world to be my bridegroom ! ’
And the girl auswered that she would, and cut off the
lock, and wove it into a coat that glittered like silk, and
brought it to the young man, who told her to carry it
straight to the giant. But that she must be careful to
cry out a long way off what she had with her, or else he
would spring upon her and run her through with his
sword.
So the maiden departed and climbed up the mountain,
but before she reached the top the giant heard her foot-
steps, and rushed out breathing fire and flame, having
a sword in one hand and a club in the other. But she
cried loudly that she had brought him the coat, and then
he grew quiet, and invited her to come into his house.
He tried on the coat, but it was too short, and he
threw it off, and declared it was no use. And the girl
picked it up sadly, and returned quite in despair to the
king’s palace.
The next morning, when she was combing the prin-
cess’s hair, she begged leave to cut off another lock. At
first the princess said no, but the girl begged so hard
that at length she^gave in on condition that she should
find her a prince as bridegroom.
The maiden told her that she had already found him,
and spun the lock into shining stuff, and fastened it on to
the end of the coat. And when it was finished she
carried it to the giant.
THE 31A.IDEN HKIKCS THE COAT OE HAIE TO THE GIANT
TEE WOUNDED LION
198
This time it fitted him, and he was quite pleased, and
asked her what he could give her in return. And she
said that the only reward he could give her was to take
the spell off the lion and bring him back to his own
shape.
For a long time the giant would not hear of it, but in
the end he gave in, and told her exactly how it must all
be done. She was to kill the lion herself and cut him up
very small ; then she must burn him, and cast his ashes
into the water, and out of the water the prince would
come free from enchantment for ever.
But the maiden went away weeping, lest the giant
should have deceived her, and that after she had killed
the lion she would find she had also slain the prince.
Weeping she came down the mountain, and weeping
she joined the prince, who was awaiting her at the
bottom ; and when he had heard her story he comforted
her, and bade her be of good courage, and to do the
bidding of the giant.
And the maiden believed what the prince told her ; and
in the morning when he put on his lion’s form she took a
knife and slew him, and cut him up very small, and
burnt him, and cast his ashes into the water, and out of
the water came the prince, beautiful as the day, ^nd as
glad to look upon as the sun himself.
Then the young man thanked the maiden for all she
had done for him, and said she should be his wife and
none other. But the maiden only wept sore, and answered
that that she could never be, for she had given her
promise to the princess when she cut off her hair that
the prince should wed her and her only.
But the prince replied, * If it is the princess, we must
go quickly. Come with me.’
So they went together to the king’s palace. And when
the king and queen and princess saw the young man a
great joy filled their hearts, for they knew him for the
TEE WOUNDED LION 199
eldest son, who had long ago been enchanted by a giant
and lost to them.
x4.nd he asked his parents’ consent that he might
marry the girl -who had saved him, and a great feast
was made, and the maiden became a princess, and in due
time a queen, and she richly deserved all the honours
showered upon her.
mE MAN WITHOUT A HEART
Once upon a time there were seven brothers, who were
orphans, and had no sister. Therefore they were obliged
to do all their own housework. This they did not like at
all ; so after much deliberation they decided to get married.
There were, unfortunately, no young girls to be found in
lihe place where they lived ; but the elder brothers agreed
fco go out into the world and seek for brides, promising to
bring back a very pretty wife for the youngest also if he
would meanwhile stay at home and take care of the
house. He consented willingly, and the six young men
set off in good spirits.
On their way they came to a small cottage standing
quite by itself in a wood ; and before the door stood an
old, old man, who accosted the brothers, saying, * Hullo,
you young fellows ! Whither away so fast and cheerily ? ’
‘ We are going to find bonny brides for ourselves, and
one for our youngest brother at home,' they replied.
* Oh I dear youths,’ said fche old man, ' I am terribly
lonely here ; pray bring a bride for me also ; only re-
member, she must be young and pretty.’
‘ What does a shrivelled old grey thing like that want
with a pretty youn'g bride?’ thought the brothers, and
went on their way. '
Presently they Came to a town where were seven
sisters, as young and as lovely as anyone could wish.
Each brother chose one, and the youngest they kept for
their brother at home. Then the whole party set out on
202
THE MAN WITHOUT A HE ART
the return journey, and again their path led through the
wood and past the old man’s cottage.
There he stood before the door, and cried : ' Oh ! you
fine fellows, what a charming bride you have brought
me ! ’
^ She is not for you/ said the young men. ‘ She is for
our youngest brother, as we promised.’
* What ! ’ said the old man, ‘ promised 1 111 make
you eat your promises ! ’ And with that he took his
magic wand, and, murmuring a chajm, he touched both
brothers and brides, and immediately they were turned
into grey stones.
Only the youngest sister he had not bewitched. He
took her into the cottage, and from that time she was
obliged to keep house for him. She was not very un-
happy, but one thought troubled her. What if the old
man should die and leave her here alone in the solitary
cottage deep in the heart of the wood 1 She would be
as ‘ terribly lonely ’ as he had formerly been.
One day she told him of her fear.
‘ Don’t be anxiojis,’ he said. ‘ You need neither fear
my death nor desire it, for I have no heart in my breast !
However, if I shotdd die, you will find my wand above
the door, and with it you can set free your sisters
and their lovers. Then you wiU surely have company
enough.’
‘ Where in all the world do you keep your heart, if
not in your breast ? ’ asked the girl.
* Do you want to know everything ? ’ her husband
said. * Well, if you must know, my heart is in the bed-
cover.’
When the old hlan had gone out about his business
his bride passed 'her time in embroidering beautiful
flowers on the bed quilt to make his heart happy. The
old man was much amused. He laughed, and said to
her ; ‘ You are a good child, but I was only joking. My
heart is really in— in ’
THE MAN WITHOUT A HEART
203
‘Now where is it, dear husband? ’
‘ It is in the doorway,’ he replied.
Next day, while he was out, the girl decorated the
door with gay feathers and fresh flowers, and hung gar-
lands upon it. And on his return the ol‘d feUow asked
what it all meant.
‘ I did it to show my love for your heart,’ said the girl.
And again the old man smiled, saying, ‘ You are a
dear child, but my heart is not in the doorway.’
Then the poor young bride was very vexed, and
said, ‘ Ah, my dear 1 you really have a heart somewhere,
so you may die and leave me all alone/
The old man did his best to comfort her by repeating
all he had said before, but she begged him afresh to tell
her truly where his heart was, and at last he told her.
‘ Ear, far from here,’ said he, ‘ in a lonely spot, stands
a great church, as old as old can be. Its doors are of
iron, and round it runs a deep moat, spanned by no
bridge. Within that church is a bird which flies up and
down ; it never eats, and never drinks, and never dies.
No one can catch it, and while that bird lives so shall I,
for in it is my heart.’
It made the little bride quite sad to think she could
do nothing to show her love for the old man’s heart.
She used to think about it as she sat all alone during the
long days, for her husband was almost always out.
One day a young traveller came past the house, and
seeing such a pretty girl he wished her ‘ Good day*’
She returned his greeting, and as he drew near she
asked him whence he came and where he was going.
‘ Alas ! ’ sighed the youth, ‘ I am very sorrowful. I
had six brothers, who went away to find brides for them*
selves and one for me ; but they havq never come home,
so now I am going to look for them.’
‘ Oh, good friend,’ said the girl, ‘ you need go no
farther. Come, sit down, eat and drink, and afterwards
I’ll tell you aU about it/
204 THE MAN WITHOUT A HEABT
She gave him food, and when he had finished his
meal she told him how his brothers had come to the
town where she lived with her sisters, how they had
each chosen a bride, and, taking herself with them, had
started for home. She wept as she told how the others
were turned to stone, and how she was kept as the old
man’s bride, She left out nothing, even telling him the
story of her husband’s heart.
When the young man heard this he said : ‘ I shall go
in search of the bird. It may be that God will help me
to find and catch it.’
‘ Yes, do go,’ she said ; ‘ it will be a good deed, for
then you can set your brothers and my sisters free.’
Then she hid the young man, for it was now late, and
her husband would soon be home.
Next morning, when the old man had gone out, she
prepared a supply of provisions for her guest, and sent
him off on his travels, wishing him good luck and
success.
He walked on and on till he thought it must be time
for breakfast; so he opened his knapsack, and was
delighted to find such a store of good things. * What a
feast ! ’ he exclaimed ; ' will anyone come and share it ? ’
‘Moo-oo,’ sounded close behind him, and looking
round he saw a great red ox, which said, ' I have much •
pleasure in accepting your kind invitation.’
‘ I’m delighted to see you. Pray help yourself. All
I have is at your service,’ said the hospitable youth.
And the ox lay down comfortably, licking his lips, and
made a hearty meal.
‘ Many thanks to you,’ said the animal as it rose up.
* When you are in^ danger or necessity call me, even if
only by a thought, ’.and it disappeared among the bushes.
The young man packed up all the food that was left,
and wandered on till the shortening shado\ys and his
own hunger warned him that it was midday. He laid
the cloth on the ground and spread out his provisions.
206 TEE MAN WITHOUT A HEABT
saying at the same time : * Dinner is ready, and anyone
who wishes to share it is welcome.’
Then there was a great rustling in the undergrowth,
and out ran a wild boar, grunting, ‘ Umph, umph, umph ;
someone said dinner was ready. Was it you? and did
you mean me to come ? ’
‘ By all means. Help yourself to what I have,’ said
the young traveller. And the two enjoyed their meal
together.
Afterwards the boar got up, saying, ‘ Thank you ;
when in need you be you must quickly call for me,’ and
he rolled off.
For a long time the youth walked on. By evening
he was miles away. He felt hungry again, and, having
still some provisions left, thought he had better make
ready his supper. When it was all spread out he cried
as before, ^ Anyone who cares to share my meal is wel-
come.’
He heard a sound overhead like the flapping of
wings, and a shadow was cast upon the ground. Then
a huge grilBfin appeared, saying: 'I heard someone
giving an invitation to eat ; is there anything for me ? ’
‘ Why not ? ’ said the youth. * Come down and take
all you want. There won’t be much left after this.’
So the griffin alighted and ate his fill, saying, as he
flew away, ‘ Call me if you need me.’
' What a hurry he was in ! ’ the youth said to himself.
' He might have been able to direct me to the church, for
I shall never find it alone.’
He gathered up his things, and started to walk a little
farther before resting.' He had not gone far when all
of a sudden he saw the church !
He soon came to it, or rather to the wide and deep
moat which surrounded it without a single bridge by
which to cross.
It was too late to attempt anything now ; and, besides,
THE MAN WITHOUT A HEABT 207
the poor youth was very tired, so he lay down ori the
ground and fell fast asleep.
Next morning, when he awoke, he began to wish him-
self over the moat ; and the thought occurred to him
that if only the red ox were there, and thirsty enough to
drink up ail the water in the moat, he might walk across
it dry shod.
Scarcely had the thought crossed his brain before the
ox appeared and began to drink up the water.
The grateful youth hastened across as soon as the
moat was dry, but found it impossible to penetrate the
thick walls and strong iron doors of the church.
‘ I believe that big boar would be of more use here
than I am,’ he thought, and lo ! at the wish the wild
boar came and began to push hard against the wall.
He managed to loosen one stone with his tusks, and,
having made a beginning, stone after stone was naked
out till he had made quite a large mg enough to
let a man go through.
The young man quickly entered the church, and saw
a bird flying about, but he could not catch it.
‘ Oh ! ’ he exclaimed, ‘ if only the griflin were here,
he would soon catch it.’
At these words the griffin appeared, and, seizing the
bird, gave it to the youth, who carried it off carefully,
while the griffin flew away.
The young man hurried home as fast as possible, and
reached the cottage before evening. He told his story to
the little bride, who, after giving him some food and
drink, hid him with his bird beneath the bed.
Presently the old man came home, and complained of
feeling ill. Nothing, he said, would go well with him any
more : his * heart bird ’ was caught.
The youth under the bed heard this, and thought,
' This old fellow has done me no particular harm, but
then he has bewitched my brothers and their brides, and
208
TEE MAN WITHOUT A HEABT
has kept my bride for himself, and that is certainly bad
enough.’
So he pinched the bird, and the old man cried, ‘ Ah i
I feel death gripping me ! Child, I am dying ! ’
With these words he fell fainting from his chair, and
as the youth, before he knew what he was doin^, had
squeezed the bird to death, the old man died also.
Out crept the young man from under the bed, and the
girl took the magic wand (which she found where the
old man had told her), and, touching the twelve grey
stones, transformed them at once into the six brothers
and their brides.
Then there was great joy, and kissing and embracing.
And there lay the old man, quite dead, and no magic
wand could restore him to life, even had they wished it.
After that they all went away and w^ere married, and
hved many years happily together.
209
TEE TWO BBOTHEBS^
Long ago there lived two brothers, both of them very
handsome, and both so very poor that they seldom had
anything to eat but the fish which they caught. One day
they had been out in their boat since sunrise without a
single bite, and were just thinking of putting up their
lines and going home to bed when they felt a little feeble
tug, and, drawing in hastily, they found a tiny fish at the
end of the hook.
' What a wretched little creature ! ’ cried one brother.
* However, it is better than nothing, and I will bake him
with bread crumbs and have him for supper.’
* Oh, do not kill me yet I ’ begged the fish ; ' I will bring
you good luck — indeed I will ! ’
‘ You silly thing ! ’ said the yoimg man ; ‘ I’ve caught
you, and I shall eat you.’
But his brother was sorry for the fish, and put in a
word for him.
‘ Let the poor little feUow live. He would hardly
make one bite, and, after aU, how do we know we are not
throwing away our luck ! Put him back into the sea. It
■will be much better.*
* If you wiU let me live,* said the fish, ' you will find
on the sands to-morrow morning tw|) beautiful horses
splendidly saddled and bridled, and on them you can go
through the world as knights seeking adventures.’
P
P
^ SicilianiscJte M^Jvrchm. L. Gonzenbach.
210
THE TWO BBOTHEBS
‘ Oh dear, what nonsense ! ’ exclaimed the elder ; ' and,
besides, what proof have we that you are speaking the
truth ? '
But again the younger brother interposed : ‘ Oh, do
let him live ! You know if he is lying to us we can always
catch him again. It is quite worth while trying.*
At last the young man gave in, and threw the fish back
into the sea ; and both brothei^s went suppeiiess to bed,
and wondered what fortune the next day would bring.
At the first streaks of dawn they were both up, and in
a very few minutes were running down to the shore.
And there, just as the fish had said, stood two mag-
nificent horses, saddled and bridled, and on their backs
lay suits of armour and under-dresses, two swords,
and two purses of gold.
‘ There ! ’ said the younger brother. ‘ Are you not
thankful you did not eat that fish ? He has brought us
good luck, and there is no knowing how great we may
become ! Now, we will each seek our own adventures.
If you will take one road I will go the other.’
‘ Very well,* replied the elder ; ‘ but how shall we let
each other know if we are both living ? ’
^ Do you see this fig-tree ? ’ said the younger. ' Well,
whenever we want news of each other we have only to
come here and make a slit with our swords in the back.
If milk flows, it is a sign that we are well and prosperous ;
but if, instead of milk, there is blood, then we are either
dead or in great danger.’
Then the two brothers put on their armour, buckled
their swords, and pocketed their purses ; and, after taking
a tender farewell of each other, they mounted their horses
and went their various ways.
The elder brother rode straight on till he reached the
borders of a strange kingdom. He crossed the frontier,
and soon found himself on the banks of a river ; and before
him, in the middle of the stream, a beautiful girl sat chained
to a rock and weeping bitterly. Hor in this river dwelt a
THE TWO BBOTHEBS
serpent with seven heads, who threatened to lay
the whole land by breathing fire and flame from
nostrils unless the king sent him every morning a man^
for his breakfast. This had gone on so long that now
there were no men left, and he had been obliged to send
his own daughter instead, and the poor girl was waiting
till the monster got hungry and felt inclined to eat her.
When the young man saw the maiden weeping bitterly
he said to her, ‘ What is the matter, my poor girl ? '
‘ Oh ! ’ she answered, ‘ I am chained here till a
horrible serpent with seven heads comes to eat me. Oh,
sir, do not linger here, or he will eat you too.’
‘ I shall stay,’ replied the young man, ‘ for I mean to
set you free.’
^ That is impossible. You do not know what a fearful
monster the serpent is ; you can do nothing against him.’
‘ That is my affair, beautiful captive,’ answered he ;
* only tell me, which way will the serpent come ? ’
^Well, if you are resolved to free me, listen to my
advice. Stand a little on one side, and then, when the
serpent rises to the surface, I will say to him, “ 0 serpent,
to-day you can eat two people. But you had better
begin first with the young man, for I am chained and
cannot run away.” When he hears this most likely he
will attack you.’
So the young man stood carefully on one side, and by-
and-bye he heard a great rushing in the water ; and a
horrible monster came up to the surface and looked out
for the rock where the king’s daughter was chained, for
it was getting late and he was hungry.
But she cried out, ‘0 serpent, to-day you can eat
two people. And you had better begjn with the young
man, for I am chained and cannot run*away.’
Then the serpent made a rush at the youth with wide-
open jaws to swallow him at one gulp, but the young
man leaped aside and drew his sword, and fought till he
had cut off all the seven heads. And when the great
210
‘Ohd- yjlJS TWO BROTREBS
besidep
lay dead at his feet he loosed the bonds of the
*ag’s daughter, and she flung herself into his arms and
said, ‘ You have saved me from that monster, and now
you shall be my husband, for my father has made a
proclamation that whoever could slay the serpent should
have his daughter to wife/
But he answered, ' I cannot become your husband
yet, for I have still far to travel. But wait for me seven
years and seven months. Then, if I do not return, you
are free to marry whom you will. And in case you should
have forgotten, I will take these seven tongues with me,
so that when I bring them forth you may know that I
am really he who slew the serpent.’
So saying he cut out the seven tongues, and the
princess gave him a thick cloth to wrap them in ; and he
mounted his horse and rode away.
Not long after he had gone there arrived at the river
a slave who had been sent by the king to learn the fate
of his beloved daughter. And when the slave saw the
princess standing free and safe before him, with the body
of the monster lying at her' feet, a wicked plan came
into his head, and he. said, ‘Unless you promise to tell
your father it was I who slew the serpent, I will kill you
and bury you in this place, and no one will ever know
what befell/
What could the poor girl do ? This time there was no
knight to come to her aid. So she promised to do as the
slave wished, and he took up the seven heads and brought
the princess to her father.
Oh, how enchanted the king was to see her again, and
the whole town shared his joy !
And the slave was called upon to tell how he had slain
the monster, and when he had ended the king declared
that he should have the princess to wife.
But she flung herself at her father’s feet, and prayed
him to delay. ‘ You have passed your royal word, and
camiot go back from it. Yet grant me this grace, and let
214
THE TWO BB0THEB8
seven years and seven months go by before you wed me.
When they are over, then I will marry the slave.' And
the king listened to her, and seven years and seven
months she looked for her bridegroom, and wept for him
night and day.
All this time the young man was riding through the
world, and when the seven years and seven months were
over he came back to the town where the princess lived —
only a few days before the wedding. And he stood before
the king, and said to him : ' Give me your daughter,
O king, for I slew the seven-headed serpent. And as
a sign that my words are true, look on these seven
tongues, which I cut from his seven heads, and on this
embroidered cloth, which was given me by your daughter.'
Then the princess lifted up her voice and said, ‘ Yes,
dear father, he has spoken the truth, and it is he who is
my real bridegroom. Yet pardon the slave, for he was
sorely tempted,’
But the king answered, ‘ Such treachery can no man
pardon. Quick, away with him, and off with his head ! ’
So the false slave was put to death, that none might
follow in his footsteps, and the wedding feast was held,
and the hearts of all rejoiced that the true bridegroom
had come at last.
These two lived happy and contentedly for along while,
when one evening, as the young man was looking from
the window, he saw on a mountain that lay out beyond
the town a great bright light.
‘ What can it be ? ’ he said to his wife.
' Ah ! do not look at it,' she answered, * for it comes
from the house of a wicked witch whom no man can
manage to kill.' But the princess had better have kept
silence, for her words made her husband’s heart burn
within him, and he longed to try his strength against the
witch’s cunning. And all day long the feeling grew
stronger, till the next morning he mounted his horse, and,
in spite of his wife's tears, he rode off to the mountain.
THE TWO BBOTHEBS
£15
The distance was greater than he thought, and it was
dark before he reached the foot of the mountain ; indeed,
he could not have found the road at all had it not been
for the bright light, which shone like the moon on his
path. At length he came to the door of a fine castle,
which had a blaze streaming from every window. He
mounted a flight of steps and entered a hall where a
hideous old woman was sitting on a golden chair.
She scowled at the young man ?and said, ^ With a
single one of the hairs of my head I can turn you into
stone.'
' Oh, what nonsense ! ' cried he. ‘ Be quiet, old woman.
What could you do with one hair ? ' But the witch pulled
216
THE TWO BBOTHEBS
out a hair and laid it on his shoulder, and his limbs grew
cold and heavy, and he could not stir.
Now at this very moment the younger brother was
thinking of him, and wondering how he had got on
during all the years since they had parted. ‘ I will go to
the fig-tree,* he said to himself, ' to see whether he is alive
or dead.’ So he rode through the forest till he came
where the fig-tree stood, and cut a slit in the bark, and
waited. In a moment a little gurgling noise was heard,
and out came a stream of blood, running fast. ‘ Ah, woe
is me ! ’ he cried bitterly. ' My brother is dead or dying !
Shall I ever reach him in time to save his hfe ? ’ Then,
leaping on his horse, he shouted, ‘ Now, my steed, fly like
the wind ! * and they rode right through the world, till one
day they came to the town where the young man and his
wife lived. Here the princess had been sitting every day
since the morning that her husband had left her, weeping
bitter tears, and listening for his footsteps. And when
she saw his brother ride under the balcony she mistook
him for her own husband, for they were so alike that no
man might tell the difference, and her heart bounded, and,
leaning down, she called to him, * At last ! at last ! how
long have I waited for thee ! ’ When the younger brother
heard these words he said to himself, ‘ So it was here
that my brother lived, and this beautiful woman is my
sister-in-law,’ but he kept silence, and let her believe he
was ifideed her husband. Full of joy, the princess led
him to the old king, who welcomed him as his own son,
and ordered a feast to be made for him. And the princess
was beside herself with gladness, but when she would
have put her arms round him and kissed him he held up
his hand to stop her, saying, ‘ Touch me not,’ at which she
marvelled greatly. ^
In this manner several days went by. And one
evening, as the young man leaned from the balcony, he
saw a bright Hght shining on the mountain.
* What can that be ? ’ he said to the princess.
TUB TWO BBOTHEBS
217
' Oh, come away,’ she cried ; ' has not that light already
proved your bane ? Do you wish to fight a second time
with that old witch ? ’
He marked her words, though she knew it not, and
they taught him where his brother was, and what had
befallen him. So before sunrise he stole out early,
saddled his horse, and rode off to the mountain. But the
way was further than he thought, and on the road he met
a little old man who asked him whither he was going.
Then the young man told him his story, and added,
* Somehow or other I must free my brother, who has
fallen into the power of an old witch.’
‘ I will tell you what you must do,’ said the old man.
‘ The witch’s power lies in her hair ; so when you see her
spring on her and seize her by the hair, and then she
cannot harm you. Be very careful never to let her hair
go, bid her lead you to your brother, and force her to
bring him back to life. Bor she has an ointment that will
heal all wounds, and even wake the dead. And when
your brother stands safe and well before you, then cut
off her head, for she is a wicked woman.’
The young man was grateful for these words, and
promised to obey them. Then he rode on, and soon
reached the castle. He walked boldly up the steps and
entered the hall, where the hideous old witch came to
meet him. She grinned horribly at him, and cried out,
‘ With one hair of my head I can change you into stone.’
‘ Can you, indeed ? ’ said the young man, seizing her
by the hair. ‘ You old wretch ! tell me what you have
done with my brother, or I will cut your head off this
very instant.’ Now the witch’s strength was all gone
from her, and she had to obey.
‘I will take you to your brother,’ *she said, hoping to
get the better of him by cunning, ‘ but leave me alone.
You hold me so tight that I cannot walk.’
‘ You must manage somehow,’ he answered, and held
her tighter than ever. She led him into a large hall
218
TEE TWO BBOTEEBS
filled with stone statues, which once had been men, and,
pointing out one, she said, ' There is your brother/
The young man looked at them all and shook his
head. * My brother is not here. Take me to him, or it
will be the worse for you.’ But she tried to put him off
with other statues, though it was no good, and it was not
until they had reached the last hall of all that he saw his
brother lying on the ground.
‘ That is my brother,’ said he. ‘ Now give me the
ointment that will restore him to life.’
Very unwillingly the old witch opened a cupboard
close by filled with bottles and jars, and took down one
and held it out to the young man. But he was on the
watch for trickery, and examined it carefully, and saw
that it had no power to heal. This happened many times,
till at length she found it was no use, and gave him the
one he wanted. And when he had it safe he made her
stoop down and smear it over his brother’s face, taking
care all the while never to loose her hah, and when the
dead man opened his eyes the youth drew his sword and
cut off her head with a single blow. Then the elder
brother got up and stretched himself, and said, * Oh, how
long I have slept ! And where am I ? ’
‘The old witch had enchanted you, but now she is
dead and you are free. We will wake up the other
knights that she laid -under her spells, and then we will
go-’
This they did, and, after sharing amongst them the
jewels and gold they found in the castle, each man went
his way. The two brothers remained together, the elder
tightly grasping the ointment which had brought him
back to life.
They had much' to tell each other as they rode along,
and at last the younger man exclaimed, ‘ O fool, to leave
such a beautiful wife to go and fight a witch 1 She took
me for her husband, and I did not say her nay.’
When the elder brother heard this a great rage filled
THE TWO BBOTHEBS
219
his heart, and, without saying one word, he drew his
sword and slew his brother, and his body rolled in the
dust. Then he rode on till he reached his home, where
his wife was still sitting, weeping bitterly. When she
saw him she sprang up with a cry, and threw herself into
his arms. ‘ Oh, how long have I waited for thee ! Never,
never must you leave me any more ! ’
When the old king heard the news he welcomed him
as a son, and made ready a feast, and all the court sat
down. And in the evening, when the young man was
alone with his wife, she said to him, ‘ Why would you not
let me touch you when you came back, but always
thrust me away when I tried to put my arms round you
or kiss you ? ’
Then the young man understood how true his brother
had been to him, and he sat down and wept and wrung
his hands because of the wicked murder that he had
done. Suddenly he sprang to his feet, for he remembered
the ointment which lay hidden in his garments, and he
rushed to the place where his brother still lay. He fell
on his knees beside the body, and, taking out the salve,
he rubbed it over the neck where the wound was gaping
wide, and the skin healed and the sinews grew strong,
and the dead man sat up and looked round him. And
the two brothers embraced each other, and the elder
asked forgiveness for his wicked blow ; and they went
back to the palace together, and were never parted any
more.
MASTEB AND PUPIL ^
Theee was once a man who had a son who was very
clever at reading, and took great delight in it. He went
out into the world to seek service somewhere, and as he
was walking between some mounds be met a man, who
asked him where he was going.
'I am going about seeking for service,’ said the boy.,
‘ Will you serve me ? ’ asked the man.
^Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said
the boy.
^ But can you read ? ’ asked the man.
* As well as the priest,’ said the boy.
Then I can’t have you,’ said the man. ‘ In fact, I
was just wanting a boy who couldn’t read. His only
work would be to dust my old books.’
The man then went on his way, and left the boy look-
ing after him.
*It was a pity I didn’t get that place,’ thought he
* That was just the very thing for me.’
Making up his mind to get the situation if possible, he
hid himself behind one of the mounds, and turned his
jacket outside in, so that the man would not know him
again so easily. Then he ran along behind the mounds,
and met the man at the other end of them.
‘ Where are you going, my little boy ? ’ said the man,
who did not notice that it was the same one he had
met before.
* From the Danish.
MASTER AND JPtJPIL
221
• I am going about seeking for service ? ' said the boy.
‘ Will you serve me ? ' asked the man.
‘ Oh, yes ; just as readily you as anyone else/ said
the boy.
‘ But can you read ? ’ said the man.
‘ No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
The man then took him into his service, and all the
work he had to do was to dust his master’s books. But
as he did this he had plenty of time to read them as well,
and he read away at them until at last he was just as
wise as his master — who was a great wizard — and could
perform all kinds of magic. Among other feats, he could
change himself into the shape of any animal, or any other
thing that he pleased.
When he had learned all this he did not think it
worth while staying there any longer, so he ran away
home to his parents again. Soon after this there was a
market in the next village, and the boy told his mother
that he had learned how to change himself into the shape
of any animal he chose.
‘ Now,’ said he, ' I shall change myself to a horse, and
father can take me to market and sell me. I shall come
home again all right.’
His mother was frightened at the idea, but the boy
told her that she need not be alarmed ; all would be well.
So he changed himself to a horse, such a fine horse, too,
that his father got a high price for it at the market ; but
after the bargain was made, and the money paid, the boy
changed again to his own shape, when no one was looking,
and went home.
The story spread all over the country about the fine
horse that had been sold and then had disappeared, and
at last the news came to the ears of the wizard.
* Aha 1 ’ said he, * this is that boy of mine, who befooled
me and ran away ; but I shall have him yet.’
The next time that there was a market the boy again
changed himself to a horse, and was taken thither by his
222
MASTER AND PUPIL
father. The horse soon found a purchaser, and while
the two were inside drinking the luck-penny the wizard
came along and saw the horse. He knew at once that
it was not an ordinary one, so he also went inside, and
offered the purchaser far more than he had paid for it, so
the latter sold it to him.
The first thing the wizard now did was to lead the
horse away to a smith to get a red-hot nail driven into
its mouth, because after that it could not change its shape
again. When the horse saw this it changed itself to a
dove, and flew up into the air. The wizard at once
changed himself into a hawk, and flew up after it. The
dove now turned into a gold ring, and fell into a girl’s lap.
The hawk now turned into a man, and offered the girl a
great sum of money for the gold ring, but she would not
part with it, seeing that it had fallen down to her, as
it were, from Heaven. However, the wizard kept on
offering her more and more for it, until at last the gold
ring grew frightened, and changed itself into a grain of
barley, which fell on the ground. The man then turned
into a hen, and began to search for the grain of barley, but
this again changed itself to a pole-cat, and took off the
hen’s head with a single snap.
The wizard was now dead, the pole-cat put on human
shape, and the youth afterwards married the girl, and
from that time forward let all his magic arts alone.
223
THE GOLDEN LION
There was once a rich merchant who had three sons,
and when they were grown up the eldest said to him,
' Father, I wish to travel and see the world- I pray you
let me.’
So the father ordered a beautiful ship to be fitted up,
and the young man sailed away in it. After some weeks
the vessel cast anchor before a large town, and the mer-
chant’s son went on shore.
The first thing he saw was a large notice written on
a board saying that if any man could find the king’s
daughter within eight days he should have her to wife,
but that if he tried and failed his head must be the for-
feit.
^ Well,’ thought the youth as he read this proclama-
tion, ^ that ought not to be a very difficult matter ; ’ and
he asked an audience of the king, and told him that he
wished to seek for the princess.
' Certainly,’ replied the king. ' You have the whole
palace to search in ; but remember, if you fail it will cost
you your head.’
So saying, he commanded the doors to be thrown
open, and food and drink to be set before the young man,
who, after he had eaten, began to look for the princess.
But though he visited every corner and chest and cup-
board, she was not in any of them, and after eight days
he gave it up and his head was cut off.
^ Sicilianische Mdilirclien^ L. Gonzenbacli.
224
TEE GOLDEN LION
All this time his father and brothers had had no news
of him, and were very anxious. At last the second son
could bear it no longer, and said, * Dear father, give me,
I pray you, a large ship and some money, and let me go
and seek for my brother.*
So another ship was fitted out, and the young man
sailed away, and was blown by the wind into the same
harbour where his brother had landed.
Now when he saw the first ship lying at anchor his
heart beat high, and he said to himself, ' My brother
cannot surely be far off,’ and he ordered a boat and was
put on shore.
As he jumped on to the pier his eye caught the
notice about the princess, and he thought, ^ He has under-
taken to find her, ana has certainly lost his head. I must
try myself, and seek him as well as her. It cannot be such
a very difficult matter.’ But he fared no better than his
brother, and in eight days his head was cut off.
So now there was only the youngest at home, and
when the other two never came he also begged for a
ship that he might go in search of his lost brothers. And
when the vessel started a high wind arose, and blew him
straight to the harbour where the notice was set.
^ Oho 1 ’ said he, as he read, ^ whoever can find the
king’s daughter shall have her to wife. It is quite clear
now what has befallen my brothers. But in spite of that
I think I must try my luck,’ and he took the road to the
castle.
On the way he met an old woman, who stopped and
begged.
'Leave me in peace, old woman,’ replied he.
' Oh, do not send rde away empty,’ she said. ' You
a»re such a handsofiae young man you will surely not re-
fuse an old woman a few pence.’
' I tell you, old woman, leave me alone.’
‘You are in some trouble?’ she asked. ‘Tell me
what it is, and perhaps I can help you.’
THE GOLDEN LION
225
Then he told her how he had set his heart on finding
the king’s daughter.
' I can easily manage that for you as long as you have
enough money.’
‘ Oh, as to that, I have plenty,’ answered he.
* Well, you must take it to a goldsmith and get him to
make it into a golden lion, with eyes of crystal; and
inside it must have something that will enable it to play
tunes. When it is ready bring it to me.’
The young man did as he was bid, and when the lion
P (I
226
TSE GOLDEN LION
was made the old woman hid the youth in it, and brought
it to the king, who was so delighted with it that he wanted
to Duy it. But she replied, ' It does not belong to me,
and my master will not part from it at any price.’
‘ At any rate, leave it with me for a few days,’ said he ;
^ I should like to show it to my daughter.’
'Yes, I can do that,’ answered the old woman ; ' but
to-morrow I must have it back again.’ And she went
away.
The king watched her till she was quite out of sight,
so as to make sure that she was not spying upon him ;
then he took the golden lion into his room and lifted some
loose boards from the floor. Below the floor there was a
staircase, which he went down till he reached a door at
the foot. This he unlocked, and found himself in a narrow
passage closed by another door, which he also opened.
The young man, hidden in the golden lion, kept count
of everything, and marked that there were in all seven
doors. After they had all been unlocked the king
entered a lovely hall, where the princess was amusing
herself with eleven friends. All twelve girls wore the
same clothes, and were as like each other as two peas.
' What bad luck ! ’ thought the youth. ' Even suppos-
ing that I managed to And my way here again, I don’t see
how I could ever tell which was the princess.’
And he stared hard at the princess as she clapped her
hands with joy and ran up to them, crying, ' Oh, do let
us keep that delicious beast for to-night; it will make
such a nice plaything.’
The king id not stay long', and when he left he
handed over the lion to the maidens, who amused them-
selves with it for some time, till they got sleepy, and
thought it was time to go to bed. But the princess took
the lion into her own room and laid it on the floor.
She was just beginning to doze when she heard a
voice quite close to her, which made her jump. ' 0
lovely princess, if you only knew what I have gone
228
THE GOLDEN LION
through to find you ! ’ The princess jumped out of bed
screaming, ‘ The lion 1 the lion ! ’ but her friends thought
it was a nightmare, and did not trouble themselves to get
up.
* O lovely princess 1 ’ continued the voice, ‘ fear
nothing ! I am the son of a rich merchant, and desire
above all things to have you for my wife. And in order
to get to you I have hidden myself in this golden lion.'
* What use is that ? ’ she asked. ‘ For if you cannot
pick me out from among my companions you will still
lose your head.’
^ I look to you to help me,’ he said. ^ I have done so
much for you that you might do this one thing for me.’
* Then listen to ma. On the eighth day I will tie a
white sash round my waist, and by that you will know
me.’
The next morning the king came very early to fetch
the lion, as the old woman was already at the palace
asking for it. When they were safe from view she let
the young man out, and he returne(?' to the king and told
him that he wished to find the princess.
Wery good,’ said the king, who by this time was
almost tired of repeating the same words ; * but if you fail
your head will be the forfeit.’
So the youth remained quietly in the castle, eating
and looking at all the beautiful things around him, and
every now and then pretending to be searching busily
in all the closets and corners. On the eighth day he
entered the room where the king was sitting. ‘ Take up
the floor in this place,’ he said. The king gave a cry,
but stopped himself, and asked, * What do you want the
floor up for ? There is nothing there.’
But as all his "courtiers were watching him he did
not like to make any more objections, and ordered the
floor to be taken up, as the young man desired. The
youth then went straight down the staircase till he
reached the door ; then he turned and demanded that the
THE GOLDEN LION
229
key should be brought. So the king was forced to unlock
the door, and the next and the next and the next, till all
seven were open, and they entered into the hall where the
twelve maidens were standing all in a row, so like that
none might tell them apart. But as he looked one of
them silently drew a white sash from her pocket and
slipped it round her waist, and the young man sprang to
her and said, ^ This is the princess, and I claim her for
my wife.* And the king owned himself beaten, and
commanded that the wedding feast should be held.
After eight days the bridal pair said farewell to the
king, and set sail for the youth*s own country, taking with
them a whole shipload of treasures as the princess’s dowry.
But they did not forget the old woman who had brought
about all their happiness, and they gave her enough
money to make her comfortable to the end of her days.
230
THE SPBia OF BOSEMABY.^
Once upon a time there lived a man with one daughter,
and he made her work hard all the day. One morning,
when she had finished everything he had set her to do,
he told her to go out into the woods and get some dry
leaves and sticks to kindle a fire.
The girl went out, and soon collected a large bundle,
and then she plucked at a sprig of sweet-smelling rose-
mary for herself. But the harder she pulled the firmer
seemed the plant, and at last, determined not to be
beaten, she gave one great tug, and the rosemary re-
mained in her hands.
Then she heard a voice close to her saying, ‘ Well? ’
and turning she saw before her a handsome young man,
who asked why she had come to steal his firewood.
The girl, who felt much confused, only managed to
stammer out as an excuse that her father had sent her.
'Very well,’ replied the young man; 'then come
with me.’
So he took her through the opening made by the torn-
up root, and they travelled till they reached a beautiful
palace, splendidly furnished, but only lighted from the
top. And when they had entered he told her that he
was a great lord, and /-that never had he seen a maiden so
beautiful as she, and that if she would give him her
Cuentos Po^uJcits Catalans, per lo Dr. D. Francisco de S.
Maspons y Dabros (Barcelona ; Libreria de Don Alvar Verdaguer,
1885 ).
THE SPBICt of BOSEMABY 231
heart they would be married and live happy for ever
after.
And the maiden said ‘ yes, she would/ and so they
were married.
The next day the old dame who looked after the
house banded her ail the keys, but pointed her out one
that she would do well ‘ never to use, for if she did the
whole palace would fall to the ground, and the grass
would grow over it, and the damsel herself would be
remembered no more.
The bride promised to be careful, but in a little while,
when there was nothing left for her to do, she began to
232
THE SPBIG OF BOSEMABY
wonder what could be in the chest, which was opened b]fT
the key. As everybody knows, if we once begin to think
we soon begin to do, and it was not very long before the
key was no longer in the maiden’s hand but in the lock
of the chest.
But the lock was stiff and resisted all her efforts, and
in the end she had to break it. And what was inside after
all ? Why, nothing but a serpent's skin, which her husband,
who was, unknown to her, a magician, put on when he
was at work ; and at the sight of it the girl was turning
away in disgust, when the earth shook violently under
her feet, the palace vanished as if it had never been,
and the bride found herself in the middle of a field, not
knowing where she was or whither to go.
She burst into a flood of bitter tears, partly at her
own folly, but more for the loss of her husband, whom
she dearly loved. Then, breaking a sprig of rosemary off
a bush hard by, she resolved, cost what it might, to seek
him through the world till she found him.
So she walked and she walked and she walked, till
she arrived at a house built of straw. And she knocked
at the door, and asked if they wanted a servant. The
mistress said she did, and if the girl was willing she
might stay. But day by day the poor maiden grew more
and more sad, till at last her mistress begged her to say
what was the matter. Then she told her story — how she
was going through the world seeking after her husband.
And her mistress answered her, * Where he is, none
can tell better than the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind,
for they go everywhere ! '
On hearing these words the damsel set forth once
more, and walked till she reached the Golden Castle,
where lived the Sun. And she knocked boldly at the
door, saying, ' All hail, 0 Sun 1 I have come to ask if,
of your charity, you will help me in my need. By my
own fault have I fallen into these straits, and I am
weary, for I seek my husband through the wide world.’
THE SFBIG OF BOSEMABY
23S
‘ Indeed 1 ’ spoke the Sun. ' Do you, rich as you are,
need help? But though you live in a palace without
windows, the Sun enters everywhere, and he knows you.’
Then the bride told him the whole storv, and did not
hide her own ill-doing. And the Sun listened, and was
sorry for her ; and though he could not tell her where to
go, he gave her a nut, and bid her open it in a time of
great distress. The damsel thanked him with all her
234
THE SPBIG OF BOSEMAEY
heart, and departed, and walked and walked and w3Jked,
till she came to another castle, and knocked at the door,
which was opened by an old woman.
‘ All hail ! ’ said the girl. ‘ I have come, of yonr
charity, to ask your help ! ’
‘ It is my mistress, the Moon, you seek. I will tell
her of your prayer.’
So the Moon came out, and when she saw the maiden
she knew her again, for she had watched her sleeping
both in the cottage and in the palace. And she spake to
her and said :
‘ Do you, rich as you are, need help ? ’
Then the girl told her the whole story, and the Moon
listened, and was sorry for her; and though she could
not tell her where to find her husband, she gave her an
almond, and told her to crack it when she was in great
need. So the damsel thanked her, and departed, and
walked and walked and walked till she came to another
castle. And she knocked at the door, and said :
‘ All hail ! I have come to ask if, of your charity,
you will help me in my need.’
‘ It is my lord, the Wind, that you want,’ answered
the old woman who opened it. ‘ I will tell him of your
prayer.*
And the Wind looked on her and knew her again,
for he had seen her in the cottage and in the palace, and
he spake to her and said :
‘ Do you, rich as you are, want help ? ’
And she told him the whole story. And the Wind
listened, and was sorry for her, and he gave her a walnut
that she was to eat in time of need. But the girl did not
go as the Wind expected. She was tired and sad, and
knew not where to' turn, so she began to weep bitterly.
The Wind wept too for company, and said :
‘ Don’t be frightened ; I will go and see if I can find
out something.’
And the Wind departed with a great noise and fuss,
THE SPBIG OF BOSEMABY 235
and in the twinkling of an eye he was back again, beam-
ing with delight.
‘ From what one person and another have let fall/ he
exclaimed, ' I have contrived to learn that he is in the
palace of the king, who keeps him hidden lest anyone
should see him ; and that to-morrow he is to marry the
princess, who, ugly creature that she is, has not been
able to find any man to wed her.'
Who can tell the despair which seized the poor maiden
when she heard this news ! As soon as she could speak
she implored the Wind to do all he could to get the
wedding put off for two or three days, for it w^ould take
her all that time to reach the palace of the king.
The Wind gladly promised to do what he could, and
as he travelled much faster than the maiden he soon
arrived at the palace, where he found five tailors working
night and day at the wedding clothes of the princess.
Down came the Wind right in the middle of their
lace and satin and trimmings of pearl ! Away they all
went whiz ! through the open windows, right up into the
tops of the trees, across the river, among the dancing
ears of corn ! After them ran the tailors, catching, jump-
ing, climbing, but all to no purpose ! The lace was torn,
the satin stained, the pearls knocked off! There was
nothing for it but to go to the shops to buy fresh, and to
begin all over again! It was plainly quite impossible
that the wedding clothes could be ready next day.
However, the king was much too anxious to see his
daughter married to listen to any excuses, and he declared
that a dress must be put together somehow for the bride
to wear. But when he went to look at the princess, she
was such a figure that he agreed that it would be un-
fitting for her position to be seen in such a gown, and he
ordered the ceremony and the banquet to be postponed
for a few hours, so that the tailors might take the dress
to pieces and make it fit.
But by this time the maiden had arrived footsore and
236
TEE SFIUG OF BOSEMABY
weary at the castle, and as soon as she reached the door
she cracked her nut and drew out of it the most beautiful
mantle in the world. Then she rang the bell, and
asked :
' Is not the princess to be married to-day ?’
* Yes, she is.’
‘ Ask her if she would like to buy this mantle.’
And when the princess saw the mantle she was
delighted, for her wedding mantle had been spoilt with
all the other things, and it was too late to make another.
So she told the maiden to ask what price she would, and
it should be given her.
The maiden fixed a large sum, many pieces of gold,
but the princess had set her heart on the mantle, and
gave it readily.
Now the maiden hid her gold in the pocket of her
dress, and turned away from the castle. The moment
she was out of sight she broke her almond, and drew
from it the most magnificent petticoats that ever were
seen. Then she went back to the castle, and asked if
the princess wished to buy any petticoats. No sooner
did the princess cast her eyes on the petticoats than she
declared they were even more beautiful than the mantle,
and that she would give the maiden whatever price she
wanted for them. And the maiden named many pieces
of gold, which the princess paid her gladly, so pleased
was she with her new possessions.
Then the girl went down the steps where none could
watch her and cracked her walnut, and out came the
most splendid court dress that any djressmaker had ever
invented ; and, carrying it carefully in her arms, she
knocked at the door and asked if the princess wished
to buy a court dress.
When the message was delivered the princess sprang
to her feet with delight, for she had been thinking that
after all it was not much use to have a lovely mantle
and elegant petticoats if she had no dress, and she knew
THE SPBIG OF BOSEMABY
237
the tailors would never be ready in time. So she sent at
once to say she would buy the dress, and what sum did
the maiden want for it.
This time the maiden answered that the price of the
dress was the permission to see the bridegroom.
The princess was not at all pleased when she heard
the maiden’s reply, but, as she could not do without the
dress, she was forced to give in, and contented herself
with thinking that after all it did not matter much.
So the maiden was led to the rooms which had been
given to her husband. And when she came near she
touched him with the sprig of rosemary that she carried ;
and his memory came back, and he knew her, and kissed
her, and declared that she was his true wife, and that he
loved her and no other.
Then they went back to the maiden’s home, and
grew to be very old, and lived happy all the days of their
life.
238
THE WHITE DOVE^
A KiNa had two sons. They were a pair of reckless
fellows, who always had something foolish to do. One
day they rowed out alone on the sea in a little boat. It
was beautiful weather when they set out, but as soon as
they had got some distance from the shore there arose a
terrific storm. The oars went overboard at once, and the
little boat was tossed about on the rolling billows like a
nut-shell. The princes had to hold fast by the seats to
keep from being thrown out of the boat.
In the midst of all this they met a wonderful vessel —
it was a dough-trough, in which there sat an old woman.
She called to them, and said that they could still get to
shore alive if they would promise her the son that was
next to come to their mother the queen.
'We can’t do that,’ shouted the princes ; ‘he doesn’t
belong to us, so we can’t give him away.’
‘ Then you can rot at the bottom of the sea, both of
you,’ said the old woman ; ‘ and perhaps it may be the
case that your mother would rather keep the two sons
she has than the one she hasn’t got yet.’
Then she rowed away in her dough-trough, while the
storm howled still louder than before, and the water
dashed over their boat until it was almost sinking. Then
the princes thought 'that there was something in what the
old woman had said about their mother, and being, of
course, eager to save their lives, they shouted to her, and
^ From the Danish.
240
TEE WEITE DOVE
promised that she should have their brother if she would
deliver them from this danger. As soon as they had done
so the storm ceased and the waves fell The boat drove
ashore below their father’s castle, and both princes were
received with open arms by their father and mother, who
had suffered great anxiety for them.
The two brothers said nothing about what they had
promised, neither at that time nor later on when the
queen’s third son came, a beautiful boy, whom she loved
more than anything else in the world. He was brought
up and educated in his father’s house until he was full
grown, and still his brothers had never seen or heard any-
thing about the witch to whom they had promised him
before he was born.
It happened one evening that there arose a raging
storm, with mist and darkness. It howled and roared
around the king’s palace, and in the midst of it there
came a loud knock on the door of the hall where the
youngest prince was. He went to the door and found
there an old woman with a dough-trough on her back,
who said to him that he must go with her at once ; his
brothers had promised him to her if she would save their
lives.
* Yes,’ said he ; ‘if you saved my brothers’ lives, and
they promised me to you, then I will go with you.’
They therefore went down to the beach together,
where he had to take his seat in the trough, along with the
witch, who sailed away with him, over the sea, home to
her dwelling.
The prince was now in the witch’s power, and in her
service. The jBirst thing she set him to was to pick
feathers. ‘ The heap of feathers that you see here,’ said
she, ‘ you must get finished before I come home in the
evening, otherwise you shall be set to harder work.’ He
started to the feathers, and picked and picked until there
was only a single feather left that had not passed through
his hands. But then there came a whirlwind and sent
TEE WHITE DOVE
Ml
all the feathers flying, and swept them along the floor
into a heap, where they lay as if they were trampled
together. He had now to begin all his work over again,
but by this time it only wanted an hour of evening, when
the witch was to be expected home, and he easily saw
that it was impossible for him to be finished by that time.
Then he heard something tapping at the window pane,
and a thin voice said, * Let me in, and I will help you/
It was a white dove, which sat outside the window, and
was pecking at it with its beak. He opened the window,
and the dove came in and set to work at once, and picked
all the feathers out of the heap with its beak. Before the
hour was past the feathers were all nicely arranged : the
dove flew out at the window, and at the same moment the
witch came in at the door.
‘ Well, well,’ said she, ‘ it was more than I would have
expected of you — to get all the feathers put in order
so nicely. However, such a prince might be expected to
have neat fingers/
Next morning the witch said to the prince, ‘To- day
you shall have some easy work to do. Outside the door
I have some firewood lying ; you must split that for mo
into little bits that I can kindle the fire with. That will
soon be done, but you must be finished before I come
home/
The prince got a little axe and set to work at once.
He split and clove away, and thought that he was getting
on fast ; but the day wore on until it was long past mid-
day, and he was still very far from having finished. He
thought, in fact, that the pile of wood rather grew bigger
than smaller, in spite of what he took off it ; so he let his
hands fall by his side, and dried the sweat from his fore-
head, and was ill at ease, for he knew that it would be
bad for him if he was not finished with the work before
the witch came home.
Then the white dove came flying and settled down on
the pile of wood, and cooed and said, * Shall I help you ? '
^ B
242
THE WHITE DOVE
‘ Yes,’ said the prince, ' many thanks for your help
yesterday, and for what you offer to-day.’ Thereupon the
little dove seized one piece of wood after another and split
it with its beak. The prince could not take away the wood
as quickly as the dove could split it, and in a short time it
was all cleft into little sticks.
The dove then flew up on his shoulder and sat there ;
and the prince thanked it, and stroked and caressed its
white feathers, and kissed its little red beak. With that
it was a dove no longer, but a beautiful young maiden,
who stood by his side. She told him then that she was
a princess whom the witch had stolen, and had changed
to this shape, but wdth his kiss she had got her human
form again ; and if he would be faithful to her, and take
her to wife, she could free them both from the witch’s
power.
The prince was quite captivated by the beautiful
princess, and was quite willing to do anything whatsoever
to get her for himself.
She then said to him, ‘ When the witch comes home
you must ask her to grant you a wish, when you have
accomphshed so well all that she has demanded of you.
When she agrees to this you must ask her straight out
for the princess that she has flying about as a white
dove. But just now you must take a red silk thread and
tie it round my little Anger, so that you may be able to
recognise me again, into whatever shape she turns me.'
The prince made haste to get the silk thread tied
round her little . white finger ; at the same moment the
princess became a dove again and flew away, and
immediately after that the old witch came home with her
dough-trough on her back.
‘Well,' said ‘'she, ‘I must say that you are clever at
your work, and it is "something, too, that such princely
hands are not accustomed to.*
‘ Since you are so well pleased with my work,* said
the prince, ' you will, no doubt, be willing to give me a
J44 THE WHITE DOVE
little pleasure too, and give me something that I have
taken a fancy to.’
‘ Oh yes, indeed,’ said the old woman ; ‘ what is it
that you want ? ’
‘ I want the princess here who is in the shape of a
white dove,’ said the prince.
* What nonsense 1 ’ said the witch. ‘ Why should you
imagine that there are princesses here flying about in the
shape of white doves ? But if you loill have a princess,
you can get one such as we have them.’ She then came
to him, dragging a shaggy little grey ass with long ears.
‘ Will you have this ? ’ said she ; ' you can’t get any other
princess ! ’
The prince used his eyes and saw the red silk thread
on one of the ass’s hoofs, so he said, ‘ Yes, just let me
have it.’
‘ What will you do with it ? ’ asked the witch.
‘ I will ride on it,’ said the prince ; but with that the
witch dragged it away again, and came back with an old,
wrinkled, toothless hag, whose hands trembled with age.
‘ You can have no other princess,’ said she. ‘ Will you
have her ? ’
' Yes, I will,’ said the prince, for he saw the red silk
thread on the old woman’s finger.
At this the witch became so furious that she danced
about and knocked everything to pieces that she could
lay her hands upon, so that the splinters flew about the
ears of the prince and princess, who now stood there in
her own beautiful shape.
Then their marriage had to be celebrated, for the
witch had to stick to what she had promised, and he
must get the princess whatever might happen afterwards.
The princess now said to him, ^ At the marriage feast
you may eat what you please, but you must not drink
anything whatever, for if you do that you will forget me.’
This, however, the prince forgot on the wedding day,
and stretched out his hand and took a cup of wine ; but
THE WHITE DOVE
245
the princess was keeping watch over him, and gave him
a push with her elbow, so that the wine flew over the
table-cloth.
Then the witch got up and laid about her among the
plates and dishes, so that the pieces flew about their ears,
just as she had done when she was cheated the first
time.
They were then taken to the bridal chamber, and the
door was shut. Then the princess said, ^ Now the witch
has kept her promise, but she will do no more if she can
help it, so we must fly immediately, I shall lay two
pieces of wood in the bed to answer for us when the witch
speaks to us. You can take the flower-pot and the glass
of water that stands in the window, and we must slip out
by that and get away.’
No sooner said than done. They hurried off out into
the dark night, the princess leading, because she knew
the way, having spied it out while she flew about as a
dove.
At midnight the witch came to the door of the room
and called in to them, and the two pieces of wood
answered her, so that she believed they were there, and
went away again. Before daybreak she was at the door
again and called to them, and again the pieces of wood
answered for them. She thus thought that she had
them, and when the sun rose the bridal night was past :
she had then kept her promise, and could vent her anger
and revenge on both of them. With the first sunbeam
she broke into the room, but there she found no prince
and no princess — nothing but the two pieces of firewood,
which lay in the bed, and stared, and spoke not a word.
These she threw on the floor, so that they were
splintered into a thousand pieces, add off she hastened
after the fugitives.
With the first sunbeam the princess said to the
prince, ‘ Look round.; do you see anything behind us ? ’
* Yes, I see a dark cloud, far away,* said he.
246
THE WHITE DOVE
‘ Then throw the flower-pot over your head/ said she
When this was done there was a large thick forest
behind them.
When the witch came to the forest she could not get
through it until she went home and brought her axe to
cut a path.
A little after this the princess said again to the
prince, ' Look round ; do you see anything behind us ? ’
‘Yes,’ said the prince, ‘ the big black cloud is there
again.’
‘ Then throw the glass of water over your head,’ said
she.
When he had done this there was a great lake behind
them, and this the witch could not cross until she ran
home again and brought her dough-trough.
Meanwhile the fugitives had reached the castle which
was the prince’s home. They climbed over the garden
wall, ran across the garden, and crept in at an open
window. By this time the witch was just at their heels,
but the princess stood in the window and blew upon the
witch ; hundreds of white doves flew out of her mouth,
fluttered and flapped around the witch’s head until she
grew so angry that she turned into flint, and there she
stands to this day, in the shape of a large flint stone
outside the window.
Within the castle there was great rejoicing over obe
prince and his bride. His two elder brothers came and
knelt before him and confessed what they had done, and
said that he alone should inherit the kingdom, and they
would always be his faithful subjects.
THE TBOLHS DAUGHTEB'*
Thebe was once a lad who went to look for a place. As
he went along he met a man, who asked him where he
was going. He told him his errand, and the stranger
said, ‘ Then you can serve me ; I am just in want of a lad
hke you, and I will give you good wages — a bushel of
money the first year, two the second year, and three
the third year, for you must serve me three years, and
obey me in everything, however strange it seems to you.
You need not be afraid of taking service with me, for
there is no danger in it if you only know how to obey/
The bargain was made, and the lad went home with
the man to whom he had engaged himself. It was a
strange place indeed, for he lived in a bank in the middle
of the wild forest, and. the lad saw there no other person
than his master. The latter was a great troll, and had
marvellous power over both men and beasts.
Next day the lad had to begin his service. The first
thing that the troll set him to was to feed all the wild
animals from the forest. These the troll had tied up, and
there were both wolves and bears, deer and hares, which
the troll had gathered in the stalls and folds in his stable
down beneath the ground, and that stable was a mile long.
The boy, however, accomplished all this work on that
day, and the troll praised him and said that it was very
well done.
Next morning the troll said to him, ‘ To-day the
* i’rom the Danish*
24:8
THE TB DLL'S DAUGHTER
animals are not to be fed ; they don't get the like of that
every day. You shall have leave to play about for a little,
until they are to be fed again.'
Then the troll said some words to him which he did
not understand, and with that the lad turned into a hare,
and ran out into the wood- He got plenty to run for, too,
for all the hunters aimed at him, and tried to shoot him,
and the dogs barked and ran after him wherever they got
wind of him. He was the only animal that was left in
the wood now, for the troll had tied up all the others, and
every hunter in the whole country was eager to knock
him over. But in this they met with no success ; there
was no dog that could overtake him, and no marksman
that could hit him. They shot and shot at him, and he
ran and ran. It was an unquiet life, but in the long run
he got used to it, when he saw that there was no danger
in it, and it even amused him to befool ah the hunters
and dogs that were so eager after him.
Thus a whole year passed, and when it was over the
troll called him home, for he was now in his power like
all the other animals. The troll then said some words to
him which he did not understand, and the hare imme-
diately became a human being again. ‘ Well, how do
you like to serve me ? ' said the troll, ‘ and how do you
like being a hare ? ’
The lad replied that he liked it very well ; he had never
been able to go over the ground so quickly before. The
troll then showed him the bushel of money that he had
already earned, and the lad was well pleased to serve him
for another year.
The first day of the second year the boy had the same
work to do as on the previous one — namely, to feed all
the wild animals in the trolls stable. When he had done
this the troll again said some words to him, and with that
he became a raven, and flew high up into the air. This
was delightful, the lad thought ; he could go even faster
now than when he was a hare, and the dogs could not
250
THE TBOLTJS DAUGHTER
come after him here. This was a great delight to him,
but he soon found out that he was not to be left quite at
peace, for all the marksmen and hunters who saw him
aimed at him and fired away, for they had no other birds
to shoot at than himself, as the troll had tied up all the
others.
This, however, he also got used to, when He saw that
they could never hit him, and in this way he flew about
all that year, until the troll called him home again, said
some strange words to him, and gave him his human
shape again. ‘Well, how did you like being a raven?’
said the troll.
‘ I liked it veiy well,’ said the lad, ‘ for never in all
my days have I been able to rise so high.’ The trol]
then showed him the two bushels of money which he had
earned that year, and the lad was well content to remain
in his service for another year.
Next day he got his old task of feeding all the wild
beasts. When this was done the troll again said some
words to him, and at these he turned into a fish, and
sprang into the river. He swam up and he swam down,
and thought it was pleasant to let himself drive with the
stream. In this way he came right out into the sea, and
swam further and further out. At last he came to a glass
palace, which stood at the bottom of the sea. He could
see into all the rooms and halls, where everything was
very grand ; all the furniture was of white ivory, inlaid
with gold and pearl. There were soft rugs and cushions
of all the colours of the rainbow, and beautiful carpets
that looked like the finest moss, and flowers and trees
with curiously crooked branches, both green and yellow,
white and red, and there were also little fountains which
sprang up from the most beautiful snail-shells, and fell
into bright mussel-shells, and at the same time made a
most delightful music, which filled the whole palace.
The most beautiful thing of all, however, was a young
girl who went about there* all alone. She went about from
THE TEOLHS DAUGHTEE 251
one room to another, but did not seem to be happy with
all the grandeur she had about her. She walked in solitude
and melancholy, and never even thought of looking at her
own image in the polished glass walls that were on every
side of her, although she v/a-s the prettiest creature anyone
could wish to see. The lad thought so too while he
swam round the palace and peeped in from every side.
‘ Here, indeed, it would be better to be a man than such
a poor dumb fish as I am now,’ said he to himself ; ‘ if I
could only remember the words that the troll says w^hen
he changes my shape, then perhaps I could help myself
to become a man again.’ He swam and he pondered and
he thought over this until he remembered the sound of
what the troll said, and then he tried to say it himself.
In a moment he stood in human form at the bottom of
the sea.
He made haste then to enter the glass palace, and
went up to the young girl and spoke to her.
At first he nearly frightened the life out of her, but he
talked to her so kindly and explained how he had come
down there that she soon recovered from her alarm, and
was very pleased to have some company to relieve the
terrible solitude that she lived in. Time passed so quickly
for both of them that the youth (for now he was qrdte a
young man, and no more a lad) forgot altogether how
long he had been there.
One day the girl said to him that now it was close on
the time when he must become a fish again — the troii
would soon call him home, and he would have to go, but
before that he must put on the shape of the fish, othei -
wise he could not pass through the sea alive. Before this,
while he was staying down there, she had told him that
she was a daughter of the same troll whom the youth
served," and he had shut her up there to keep her away
from everyone. She had now devised a plan by which
they could perhaps succeed in getting to see each other
again, and spending the rest of their lives together. But
252
THE TEOLUS DAUGHTER
there was much to attend to, and he must give careful
heed to all that she told him.
She told him then that all the kings in the country
round about were in debt to her father the troll, and the
king of a certain kingdom, the name of which she told
him, was the first who had to pay, and if he could not do
so at the time appointed he would lose his head. ‘ And
he cannot pay,’ said she ; ‘ I know that for certain. Now
you must, first of all, give up your service with my father ;
the three years are past, and you are at liberty to go.
You will go off, with your six bushels of money, to the
kingdom that I have told you of, and there enter the
service of the king. When the time comes near for his
deh;] becoming due you will be able to notice by his
manner that he is ill at ease. You shall then say to him
that you know well enough what it is that is weighing
upon him — that it is the debt which he owes to the troll,
and cannot pay, but that you can lend him the money.
The amount is six bushels — ^just what you have. You
shall, however, only lend them to him on condition that
you may accompany him when he goes to make the pay-
ment, and that you then have permission to run before
him as a fool. When you arrive at the troll’s abode, you
must perform all kinds of foolish tricks, and see that you
break a whole lot of his windows, and do all other damage
that you can. My father will then get very angry, and as
the king must answer for what his fool does he will
sentence him, even although he has paid his debt, either
to answer three questions or to lose his life. The first
question my father will ask will be, “Where is my
daughter?” Then you shall step forward and answer,
“ She is at the bottom of the sea.” He will then ask you
whether you can' recognise her, and to this you will
answer Yes.” Then he will bring forward a w^hole troop
of women, and cause them to pass before you, in order
that you may pick out the one that you take for his
daughter. You will not be able to recognise me at all,
THE TEOLHS DAUGHTEB
263
and therefore I will catch hold of you as I go past, so that
you can notice it, and you must then make haste to catch
me and hold me fast. You have then answered his first
question. His next question will be, “Where is my
heart ? ” You shall then step forward again and answer,
“It is in a fish.” “Do you know that fish?” he will
say, and you will again answer “ Yes.” He will then
cause all kinds of fish to come before you, and you shall
choose between them. I shall take good care to keep by
your side, and when the right fish comes I will give you
a little push, and with that you will seize the fiish and
cut it up. Then all will be over with the troll ; he will
ask no more questions, and we shall be free to wed/
When the youth had got all these directions as to
what he had to do when he got ashore again the next
thing was to remember the words which the troll said
when he changed him from a human being to an animal ;
but these he had forgotten, and the girl did not know
them either. He went about all day in despair, and
thought and thought, but he could not remember what
they sounded like. During the night he could not sleep,
until towards morning he fell into a slumber, and all at
once it flashed upon him what the troll used to say. He
made haste to repeat the words, and at the same moment
he became a fish again and slipped out into the sea.
Immediately after this he was called upon, and swam
through the sea up the river to where the troll stood on
the bank and restored him to human shape with the same
words as before. ”
‘ Well, how do you like to be a fish ? ’ asked the
troll.
It was what he had liked best of all, said the youth,
and that was no lie, as everybody can guess.
The troll then showed him the three bushels of money
which he had earned during the past year ; they stood
beside the other three, and aU the six now belonged to
him.
26 i
THE TBOLLE DAUGHTER
^ Perhaps you will serve me for another year yet,"
said the troll, ‘and you will get six bushels of money
for it ; that makes twelve in all, and that is a pretty
penny.’
‘ No,’ said the youth ; he thought he had done enough,
and was anxious to go to some other place to serve, and
learn other people’s ways ; but he would, perhaps, come
back to the troll some other time.
The troll said that he would always be welcome ; he
had served him faithfully for the three years they had
agreed upon, and he could make no objections to his
leaving now.
The youth then got his sis bushels of money, and with
these he betook himself straight to the kingdom which
his sweetheart had told him of. He got his money buried
in a lonely spot close to the king’s palace, and then went
in there and asked to be taken into service. He obtained
his request, and was taken on as stableman, to tend the
king’s horses.
Some time passed, and he noticed how the king
always went about sorrowing and grieving, and was never
glad or happy. One day the king came into the stable,
where there was no one present except the youth, who
said straight out to him that, with his majesty’s per-
mission, he wished to ask him why he was so sorrowful.
* It’s of no use speaking about that,’ said the king ;
' you cannot help me, at any rate.’
* You don’t know about that,’ said the youth ; ‘ I know
well enough what it is that lies so heavy on your mind,
and I know also of a plan to get the money paid.’
This was quite another case, and the king had more
talk with the stableman, who said that he could easily
lend the king the six bushels of money, but would only
do it on condition that he should be allowed to accom-
pany the king when he went to pay the debt, and that he
should then be dressed like the king’s court fool, and rxm
before him. He would cause some trouble, for which the
THE TBOLHS DAUGHTER 253
king would be severely spoken to, but he vrould answer
for it that no harm would befall him.
The king gladly agreed to all that the youth proposed,
and it was now high time for them to set out.
When they came to the troll’s dwelling it was no
longer in the bank, but on the top of this there stood a
large castle which the youth had never seen before. The
troll could, in fact, make it visible or invisible, just as he
pleased, and, knowing as much as he did of the troll’s
magic arts, the youth was not at all surprised at this.
When they came near to this castle, which looked as
if it was of pure glass, the youth ran on in front as the
king’ s fool. He ran sometimes facing forwards, sometimes
backwards, stood sometimes on his head, and sometimes
on his feet, and he dashed in pieces so many of the troll’s
big glass windows and doors that it was something awful
to see, and overturned everything he could, and made a
fearful disturbance.
The troll came rushing out, and was so angry and
furious, and abused the king with all his might for
bringing such a wretched fool with him, as he was sure
that he could not pay the least bit of all the damage that
had been done when he could not even pav off his old
debt.
The fool, however, spoke up, and said that he could
do so quite easily, and the king then came forward with
the six bushels of money which the youth had lent him.
They were measured and found to be correct. This the
troll had not reckoned on, but he could make no objection
against it. The old debt was honestly paid, and the king
got his bond back again.
But there still remained all the damage that had been
done that day, and the king had nothing with which to
pay for this. The troll, therefore, sentenced the king,
either to answer three questions that he would put to
him, or have his head taken off, as was agreed on in the
old bond.
256
THE TBOLHS DAUGHTEB
There was nothing else to be done than to try to
answer the troll’s riddles. The fool then stationed him-
self just by the king’s side while the troll came forward
with his questions. He first asked, ‘ Where is my
daughter ? ’
The fool spoke up and said, * She is at the bottom of
the sea.’
‘ How do you know that ? ’ said the troll.
* The little fish saw it,’ said the fool.
‘ Would you know her ? * said the troll.
* Yes, bring her forward,’ said the fool.
The troll made a whole crowd of women go past them,
one after the other, but all these were nothing but
shadows and deceptions. Amongst the very last was the
troll’s real daughter, who pinched the fool as she went
past him to make him aware of her presence. He
thereupon caught her round the waist and held her fast,
and the troll had to admit that his first riddle was solved.
Then the troll asked again : * Where is my heart ? ’
* It is in a fish,’ said the fool.
‘ Would you know that fish ? ’ said the troll.
‘ Yes, bring it forward,’ said the fool.
Then all the fishes came swimming past them, and
meanwhile the troll’s daughter stood just by the youth’s
side. When at last the right fish came swimming along
she gave him a nudge, and he seized it at once, drove his
knife into it, and split it up, took the heart out of it, and
cut it through the middle.
At the same moment the troll fell dead and turned
into pieces of flint. With that all the bonds that the
troU had bound were broken ; all the wild beasts and
birds which he had caught and hid imder the ground were
free now, and dispersed themselves in the woods and in
the air.
The youth and his sweetheart entered the castle,
which was now theirs, and held their wedding ; and all
the kings roundabout, who had been in the troll’s debt,
TEE TBOLL’8 DAUGHTER
257
duiid. W6r6 now out ol it, cbjIHG to tbc W6d.ding, und. ssdutod.
the youth as their emperor, and he ruled over them all,
and kept peace between them, and lived in his castle with
his beautiful empress in great joy and magnificence. And
if they have not died since they are living there to this
258
ESBEN AND THE WITGH'^
There was once a man who had twelve sons : the eleven
eldest were both big and strong, but the twelfth, whose
name was Esben, was only a little fellow. The eleven
eldest went out with their father to field and forest, but
Esben preferred to stay at home with his mother, and so
he was never reckoned at all by the rest, but was a sort
of outcast among them.
When the eleven had grown up to be men they
decided to go out into the world to try their fortune, and
they plagued their father to give them what they required
for the journey. The father was not much in favour of
this, for he was now old and weak, and could not well
spare them from helping him with his work, but in the long
run he had to give in. Each one of the eleven got a fine
white horse and money for the journey, and so they said
farewell to their father and their home, and rode away.
As for Esben, no one had ever thought about him ;
his brothers had not even said farewell to him.
After the eleven were gone Esben went to his father .
and said, ‘Father, give me also a horse and money; T
should also like to see round about me in the world/
* You are a little fool,’ said his father. ‘ If I could
have let you go, and kept your eleven brothers at home,
it would have been better for me in my old age.’
‘ Well, you will soon be rid of me at any rate,’ said
Esben.
* From the Danish,
ESBEN AND THE WITCH 259
x\s he could get no other horse, he went into the forest,
broke off a branch, stripped the bark off it, so that it
became still whiter than his brothers’ horses, and, mounted
on this, rode off after his eleven
brothers.
The brothers rode on the whole
day, a^nd towards evening they came
to a great forest, which they en-
tered. Far within the wood they
came to a little house, and knocked
at the door. There came an old,
^ ugly, bearded hag, and opened it,
and they asked her whether all of
‘<them could get quarters for the
night.
' Yes,’ said the old, bearded hag,
' you shall all have quarters for the night, and, in addition,
each of you shall have one of my daughters.’
The eleven brothers thought that they had come to
very hospitable people. They were well attended to, and
260 m:sben and the witch
when they went to bed, each of them got one of the hag's
daughters.
Bsben had been coming along behind them, and had
followed the same way, and had also found the same house
in the forest. He slipped into this, without either the
witch or her daughters noticing him, and hid himself under
one of the beds. A little before midnight he crept quietly
out and wakened his brothers. He told these to change
night-caps with the witch's daughters. The brothers saw
no reason for this, but, to get rid of Esben’s persistence,
they made the exchange, and slept soundly again.
When midnight came Esben heard the old witch
come creeping along. She had a broad-bladed axe in her
hand, and went over all the eleven beds. It was so dark
that she could not see a hand’s breadth before her, but she
felt her way, and hacked the heads off all the sleepers
who had the men’s night-caps on — and these were her
own daughters. As soon as she had gone her way Esben
wakened his brothers, and they hastily took their horses
and rode off from the witch’s house, glad that they had
escaped so well. They quite forgot to thank Esben for
what he had done for them.
When they had ridden onwards for some time they
reached a king’s palace, and inquired there whether they
could be taken into service. Quite easily, they were told,
if they would be stablemen, otherwise the king had no
use for them. They were quite ready for this, and got
the task of looking after all the king’s horses.
Long after them came Esben riding on his stick, and
he also wanted to get a place in the palace, but no one
had any use for him, and he was told that he could just
, go back the way he had come. However, he stayed there
and occupied himself as best he cojild. He got his food,
but nothing more, and by night he lay just where he
could.
At this time there was in the palace a knight who was
called Sir Bed. He was very well liked by the king, but
ESBEN AND TEE WITCH
265
hated by everyone else, for he was wicked both in will
and deed. This Sir Eed became angry with the eleven
brothers, because they would not always stand at atten-
tion for him, so he determined to avenge himself on
them.
One day, therefore, he went to the king, and said that
the eleven brothers who had come to the palace a little
while ago, and served as stablemen, could do a great deal
more than they pretended. One day he had heard them
say that if they hked they could get for the king a won-
derful dove which had a feather of gold and a feather of
silver time about. But they would not procure it unless
they were threatened with death.
The king then had the eleven brothers called before
him, and said to them, ‘ You have said that you can get
me a dove which has feathers of gold and silver time
about.*
All the eleven assured him that they had never said
anything of the kind, and they did not believe that such
a dove existed in the whole world.
* Take your own mind of it,’ said the king ; ‘ but if you
don’t get that dove within three days you shall lose your
heads, the whole lot of you.*
With that the king let them go, and there was great
grief among them ; some wept and others lamented.
At that moment Esben came along, and, seeing their
sorrowful looks, said to them, ‘ Hallo, what’s the matter
with you ? ’
‘What good would it do to tell you, you little foot?
You can’t help us.*
‘ Oh, you don’t know that,’ answered Esben. * I have
helped you before.’
In the end they told him how unreasonable the king
was, and how he had ordered them td get for him a dove
with feathers of gold and silver time about.
‘ Give me a bag of peas ’ said Esben, ‘ and I shall se^
what I can do for you.*
262
ESBEN AND THE WITCH
Esben gob his bag of peas ; then he book his white
stick, and said,
riy quick, my little stick,
Carry me across the stream.
Straightway the stick carried him across the river and
straight into the old witch’s courtyard. Esben had
noticed that she had such a dove ; so when he arrived
in the courtyard he shook the peas out of the bag, and
the dove came fluttering down to pick them up. Esben
caught it at once, put it into the bag, and hurried off
before the witch caught sight of him; but the next
moment she came running, and shouted after him, ‘ Hey
is that you, Esben ? ’
‘ Ye — e— s ! ’
‘Is it you that has
taken my dove ? ’
‘Ye— e— s!’
‘ Was it you that made
me kill my eleven daugh-
ters ? ’
‘Ye-e-sr
‘ Are you coming back
again ? '
‘ That may be,’ said
Esben.
‘ Then you’ll catch it,’
shouted the witch.
The stick carried Bs-
ben with the dove back to
the king’s palace, and his
brothers were greatly de-
lighted. The king thanked
them many times for the
dove, and gave them in
return both silver and
gold. At this Sir Bed
ESBEN AND TEE WITCH
263
became still more embittered, and again thought of how
to avenge himself on the brothers.
One day he went to the king and told him that the
dove was by no means the best thing that the brothers
could get for him ; for one day he had heard them talking
quietly among themselves, and they had said that they
could procure a boar whose bristles were of gold and
silver time about.
The king again summoned the brothers before him,
and asked whether it was true that they had said that
they could get for him a boar whose bristles were of gold
and silver time about.
‘ No,' said the brothers ; they had never said nor
thought such a thing, and they did not believe that there
was such a boar in the whole world.
* You must get me that boar within three days,’ said
the king, ‘ or it will cost you your heads.’
With that they had to go. This was still worse than
before, they thought. Where could they get such a mar-
vellous boar ? They all went about hanging their heads ;
but when only one day remained of the three Esben came
264
ESBEN AND THE WITCH
along. When he saw his brothers’ sorrowful looks he
cried, ‘ Hallo, what’s the matter now? ’
‘ Oh, what’s the use o." telling you ? ’ said his brothers.
‘ Ymc can't help us, at any rate.'
‘ Ah, you don't know that/ said Esben ; ‘ I’ve helped
you before.'
In the end they told him how Sir Eed had stirred up
the king against them, so that he had ordered them to
get for him a boar with bristles of gold and silver time
about.
‘ That’s all right,’ said Esben ; ‘ give me a sack of
malt, and it is not quite impossible that I may be able to
help you.’
Esben got his sack of malt ; then he took his little
white stick, set himseK upon it, and said,
Fly quiet, my little stick,
Carry me across the stream.
Off went the stick with him, and very soon he was
again in the witch’s courtyard. There he emptied out
the malt, and next moment came the boar, which had
every second bristle of gold and of silver. Esben at once
put it into his sack and hurried off before the witch should
catch sight of him ; but the next moment she came run-
ning, and shouted after him, ‘ Hey ! is that you, Esben? *
* Ye— e— s 1 ’
* Is it you that has taken my pretty boar ? ’
* Ye — e — s 1 ’
‘ It was also you that took my dove ? ’
‘Ye-e-sl’
'And it was you that made me kill my eleven
daughters? ’
‘ Ye — e — s ! ’
' Are you coming back again? ’
‘ That may be,’ said Esben.
‘ Then you'll catch it,’ said the witch.
. Esben was soon back at the palace with the boar, and
ESBEN AND THE WITCH 265
his brothers scarcely knew which leg to stand on, so
rejoiced were they that they were safe again. Not one of
them, however, ever thought of thanking Eshen for what
he had done for them.
The king was still more rejoiced over the boar than
he had been over the dove, and did not know what to give
the brothers for it. At this Sir Eed was again possessed
with anger and envy, and again he went about and planned
how to get the brothers into trouble.
One day he went again to the king and said, ‘ These
eleven brothers have now procured the dove and the boar,
but they can do much more than that ; I know they have
said that if they liked they could get for the king a lamp
that can shine over seven kingdoms.’
* If they have said that,’ said the king, ‘ they shall also
be made to bring it to me. That would be a glorious
lamp for me.’
Again the king sent a message to the brothers to come
up to the palace. They went accordingly, although very
unwillingly, vor they suspected that Sir Eed had fallen on
some new plan to bring them into trouble.
As soon as they came before the king he said to them,
‘ You brothers have said that you could, if you liked, get
for me a lamp that can shine over seven kingdoms. That
lamp must be mine within three days, or it will cost you
your lives.’
The brothers assured him that they had never said so,
and they were sure that no such lamp existed, but their
words were of no avail.
* The lamp ! ’ said the king, * or it will cost you your
heads.’
The brothers were now in greater despair than ever.
They did not know what to do, for such a lamp no one
had ever heard of. But just as things looked their worst
along came Esben.
* Sorhething wrong again?’ said he. 'What’s the
matter with you now ? ’
266 ESBEN AND THE WITCH
‘ Oh, it's no use telling you,’ said they. * You can’t
help us, at any rate.'
‘ Oh, you might at least tell me,' said Esben ; ‘ I have
helped you before.’
In the end they told him that the king had ordered
them to bring him a lamp which could shine over seven
kingdoms, but such a lamp no one had ever heard tell of.
* Give me a bushel of salt,' said Esben, ‘ and we shall
see how matters go.’
He got his bushel of salt, and then mounted his little
white stick, and said.
Fly quick, my little stick,
Carry me across the stream.
With that both he and his bushel of salt were over
beside the witch’s courtyard. But now matters were less
easy, for he could not get inside the yard, as it was
evening and the gate was locked. Einally he hit upon a
plan ; he got up on the roof and crept down the chimney.
He searched all round for the lamp, but could find it
nowhere, for the witch always had it safely guarded, as it
was one of her most precious treasures. When he became
tired of searching for it he crept into the baking-oven,
intending to lie down there and sleep till morning ; but
just at that moment he heard the witch calling from her
bed to one of her daughters, and telling her to make some
porridge for her. She had grown hungry, and had taken
such a fancy to some porridge. The daughter got out of
bed, kindled the fire, and put on a pot with water in it.
‘You mustn’t put any salt in the porridge, though,’
cried the witch.
‘ No, neither will I,’ said the daughter ; but while she
was away getting the meal Esben slipped out of the oven
and emptied the whole bushel of salt into the pot. The
daughter came back then and put in the meal, and after
it had boiled a little she took it in to her mother. The
witch took a spoonful and tasted it.
267
ESBEN AND THE WITCH
! Uh ! said she ; ‘ didn’t I tell you not to put any salt
in it, and it’s just as salt as the sea.’
So the daughter had to go and make new porridge,
and her mother warned her strictly not to put any salt in
it. But now there was no water in the house, so she
asked her mother to give her the lamp, so that she could
go to the well for more.
‘ There you have it, then,’ said the witch ; ‘ but take
good care of it.’
The daughter took the lamp which shone over seven
kingdoms, and went out to the well for water, while
Esben slipped out after her. When she was going to draw
the water from the well she set the lamp down on a stone
beside her. Esben watched his chance, seized the lamp,
and gave her a push from behind, so that she plumped
head first into the well. Then he made off with the lamp.
But the witch got out of her bed and ran after him,
crying :
‘ Hey ! is that you again, Esben
* Ye— e— s 1 ’
‘ Was it you that took my dove ? *
«Ye-e-sr
268
USBEN AND TED WITCH
‘ Was it also you that took my boar ? ’
‘Ye— e-s!’
‘And it was you that made me kill my eleven
daughters ? ’
^ Ye~e-s I ^
‘ And now you have taken my lamp, and drowned my
twelfth daughter in the well ? *
‘ Ye— e— s ! ’
‘ Are you coming back again ? *
‘ That may be,’ said Esben.
‘ Then you’ll catch it,’ said the witch.
It was only a minute before the stick had again landed
Esben at the king’s palace, and the brothers were then
freed from their distress. The king gave them many fine
presents, but Esben did not get even so much as thanks
from them.
Never had Sir Eed been so eaten up with envy as he
was now, and he racked his brain day and night to find
something quite impossible to demand from the brothers.
One day he went to the king and told him that the
lamp the brothers had procured was good enough, but
they could still get for him something that was far
better. The king asked what that was.
‘ It is,’ said Sir Bed, ‘ the most beautiful coverlet that
any mortal ever heard tell of. It also has the property
that, when anyone touches it, it sounds so that it can be
heard over eight kingdoms.’
‘ That must be a splendid coverlet,* said the king, and
he at once sent for the brothers.
‘ You have said that you know of a coverlet, the most
beautiful in the whole world, and which sounds over
eight kingdoms when anyone touches it. You shall pro-
cure it for me, or else lose your lives,’ said he.
The brothers answered him that they had never said
a word about such a coverlet, did not believe it existed,
md that it was quite impossible for them to procure
it. But the king would not hear a word ; he drove them
ESBEN AND THE WITCH 269
away, telling them that if they did not get it very soon
it would cost them their heads.
Things looked very black again for the brothers, for
they were sure there was no escape for them. The
youngest of them, indeed, asked where Esben was, but
the others said that that little fool could scarcely keep
himself in clothes, and it was not to be expected that
he could help them. Not one of them thought it worth
while to look for Esben, but he soon came along of
himself.
‘ Well, .what’s the matter now?’ said he.
‘ Oh, what’s the use of telling you ? ’ said the brothers.
* You can't help us, at any rate.’
‘ Ah I who knows that ? ’ said Esben. ‘ I have helped
you before.*
In the end the brothers told him about the coverlet
which, when one touched it, sounded so that it could be
heard over eight kingdoms. Esben thought that this was
the worst errand that he had had yet, but he could not do
worse than fail, and so he would make the attempt.
He again took his little white stick, set himself on it,
and said,
Fly quick, my little stick,
Carry me across the stream.
Next moment he was across the river and beside the
witch’s house. It was evening, and the door was locked,
but he knew the way down the chimney. When he had
got into the house, however, the worst yet remained to do,
for the coverlet was on the bed in which the witch lay
and slept. He slipped into the room without either she
or her daughter wakening ; but as soon as he touched the
coverlet to take it it sounded so that it could be heard
over eight kingdoms. The witch awoke, sprang out of
bed, and caught hold of Esben. He struggled with her,
but could not free himself, and the witch called to her
daughter, ^ Come and help me ; we shall put ^im into the
270 ESBEN AND TEE WITCH
little dark room to be fattened. Ho, ho ! now I have
him ! '
Esben was now put into a little dark hole, where he
neither saw sun nor moon, and there he was fed on sweet
milk and nut-kernels. The daughter had enough to do
cracking nuts for him, and at the end of fourteen days
she had only one tooth left in her mouth ; she had broken
all the rest with the nuts. In this time, however, she
had taken a liking to Esben, and would willingly have set
him free, but could not
When some time had passed the witch told her
daughter to go and cut a finger off Esben, so that she could
see whether he was nearly fat enough yet. The daughter
went and told Esben, and asked him what she should do.
Esben told her to take an iron nail and wrap a piece of
skin round it *. she could then give her mother this to bite
at.
The daughter did so, but when the witch bit it she
cried, ‘ XJh I no, no 1 This is nothing but skin and bone ;
he must be fattened much longer yet.'
So Esben was fed for a whale longer on sweet milk
ESBEN AND THE WITCH
271
and nut-kernels, until one day the witch thought that
now he must surely be fat enough, and told her daughter
again to go and cut a finger off him. By this time
Esben was tired of staying in the dark hole, so he told her
to go and cut a teat off a cow, and give it to the witch to
bite at. This the daughter did, and the witch cried, ‘ Ah 1
now he is fat — so fat that one can scarcely feel the bone
in him. Now he shall be killed.’
Now this was just the very time that the witch had
to go to Troms Church, where all the witches gather once
every year, so she had no time to deal with Esben herself.
She therefore told her daughter to heat up the big oven
while she was away, take Esben out of his prison, and
roast him in there before she came back. The daughter
promised all this, and the witch went off on her journey.
The daughter then made the oven as hot as could be,
and took Esben out of his prison in order to roast him.
She brought the oven spade, and told Esben to seat him-
self on it, so that she could shoot him into the oven.
Esben accordingly took his seat on it, but when she had
got him to the mouth of the oven he spread his legs out
wide, so that she could not get him pushed in.
^ You mustn’t sit like that,* said she.
‘ How then ? ’ said Esben.
‘You must cross your legs,’ said the daughter; but
Esben could not understand what she meant by this.
‘ Get out of the way,’ said she, ‘ and I will show you
how to place yourself.’
She seated herself on the oven spade, but no sooner
had she done so than Esben laid hold of it, shot her into
the oven, and fastened the door of it. Then he ran and
seized the coverlet, but as soon as he did so it sounded
so that it could be heard over eighty kingdoms, and the
witch, who was at Troms Church, came flying home, and
shouted, ‘ Hey ! is that you again, Esben ? ’
‘ Ye— e— s ! ’
* It was you that made me kill my eleven daughters ?
572
ESBEN AND TEE WITCH
‘ Ye — e — s ! ’
* And took my dove ? ’
' Ye — e— s ! ’
‘ And my beautiful boar ? *
‘ Ye — e — s ! *
‘ And drowned my twelfth daughter in the well, and
took my lamp ? ’
* Ye — e — s ! ’
^ And now you have roasted my thirteenth and la-sfe
daughter in the oven, and taken my coverlet ? '
* Ye — e — s ! ’
* Are you coming back again ? ’
‘ No, never again/ said Esben.
At this the witch became so furious that she sprang
into numberless pieces of flint, and from this come all the
flint stones that one finds about the country.
Esben had found again his little stick, which the witch
had taken from him, so he said,
Fly quick, my little stick,
Carry me across the stream.
Next moment he was back at the king’s palace. Here
things were in a bad way, for the king had thrown all the
eleven brothers into prison,' and they were to be executed
very shortly because they had not brought him the
coverlet. Esben now went up to the king and gave him
Mie coverlet, with which the king was greatly delighted.
When he touched it it could be heard over eight king-
doms, and all the other kings sat and were angry because
they had not one like it.
Esben also told how everything had happened, and
how Sir Bed had done the brothers all the ill he could
devise because he was envious of them. The brothers
were at once set at flberty, while Sir Eed, for hh wicked-
ness, was hanged on the highest tree that could be found,
and so he got the reward he deserved.
Much was made of Esben and his brothers, and these
ESBEN AND THE WITCH
273
now thanked him for all that he had done for them. The
twelve of them received as much gold and silver as they
could carry, and betook themselves home to their old
father. When he saw again his twelve sons, whom he
rea-ks" int9 T[n\ti>'
had never expected to see more, he was so glad that he
wept for joy. The brothers told him how much Esben
had done, and how he had saved their lives, and from that
time forward he was no longer the butt of the rest at
home.
2U
PBINCESS MINON^MINETTE^
Once upon a time there lived a young king whose name
was Souci, and he had been brought up, ever since he
was a baby, by the fairy Inconstancy. Now the fairy
Girouette had a kind heart, but she was a very trying
person to live with, for she never knew her own mind for
two minutes together, and as she was the sole ruler at
Court till the prince grew up everything was always at
sixes and sevens. At first she determined to follow the
old custom of keeping the ^^ung king ignorant of the
duties he would have to perform some day ; then, quite
suddenly, she resigned the reins of government into his
hands ; but, unluckily, it was too late to train him properly
for the post. However, the fairy did not think of that,
but, carried away by her new ideas, she hastily formed a
Council, and named as Prime Minister the excellent
* Ditto,’ so called because he had never been known to
contradict anybody.
Young Prince Souci had a handsome face, and at the
bottom a good deal of common sense ; but he had never
been taught good manners, and was shy and awkward ;
and had, besides, never learned how to use his brains.
Under these circumstances it is not surprising that
the Council did not get through much work. Indeed, the
affairs of the country fell into such disorder that at last
the people broke out into open rebellion, and it was only
the courage of the king, who continued to play the flute
^ BibUothig^ue des Fies et des Gdnies.
I
7^ c^rntc
276
PBINCESS MINON^MINETTE
while swords and spears were Hashing before the palace
gate, that prevented civil war from being declared.
No sooner was the revolt put down than the Council
turned their attention to the question of the young king’s
marriage. Various princesses were proposed to him, and
the fairy, who was anxious to get the affair over before
she left the Court for ever, gave it as her opinion that
the Princess Diaphana would make the most suitable
wife. Accordingly envoys were sent to bring back an
exact report of the princess’s looks and ways, and they
returned saying that she was tall and well made, but so
very light that the equerries who accompanied her in her
walks had to be always watching her, lest she should
suddenly be blown away. This had happened so often
that her subjects lived in terror of losing her altogether,
and tried everything they could think of to keep her to
the ground. They even suggested that she should carry
weights in her pockets, or have them tied to her ankles ; but
this idea was given up, as the princess found it so uncom-
fortable. At length it was decided that she was never to
go out in a wind, and in order to make matters surer still
the equerries each held the end of a string which was
fastened to her waist.
The Council talked over this report for s^me days,
and then the king made up his mind that he would judge
for himself, and pretend to be his own ambassador. This
plan was by no means new, but it had often succeeded,
and, anyhow, they could think of nothing better.
Such a splendid embassy had never before been seen
in any country. The kingdom was left in the charge of
the Prime Minister, who answered ‘ Ditto ’ to everything ;
but the choice was better than it seemed, for the worthy
man was much beloved by the people, as he agreed with
all they said, and they left him feeling very pleased with
themselves and their own wisdom.
When the king arrived at Diaphana’s Court he found
a magnificent reception awaiting him, for, though they
PBINCESS MIBON-MINETTE 277
pretended not to know who he was, secrets like this are
never hidden. Now the young king had a great dislike
to long ceremonies, so he proposed that his second inter-
view with the princess should take place in the garden.
The princess made some difficulties, but, as the weather
was lovely and very still, she at last consented to the
king’s wishes. But no sooner had they finished their
first bows and curtseys than a slight breeze sprung up,
and began to sway the princess, whose equerries had
retired out of respect. The king went forward to steady
her, but the wind that he caused only drove her further
away from him. He rushed after her exclaiming, * 0
princess ! are you really running away from me ? ’
‘ Good gracious, no 1 ’ she replied. ‘ Run a little
quicker and you will be able to stop me, and I shall be
for ever grateful. That is what comes of talking in a
garden,’ she added in disgust ; ' as if one wasn’t much
better in a room that was tightly closed all round.’
The king ran as fast as he could, but the wind ran
faster still, and in a moment the princess was whirled to
the bottom of the garden, which was bounded by a ditch.
She cleared it like a bird, and the king, who was obliged
to stop short at the edge, saw the lovely Diaphana flying
over the plain, sometimes driven to the right, sometimes
to the left, till at last she vanished out of sight.
By this time the whole court were running over the
plain, some on foot and some on horseback, all hurrying
to the help of their princess, who really was in some
danger, for the wind was rising to the force of a gale.
The king looked on for a little, and then returned with
his attendants to the palace, reflecting all the while on
the extreme lightness of his proposed bride and the
absurdity of having a wife that rose in the air better
than any kite. He thought on the \vhole that it would
be wiser not to wait longer, but to depart at once, and
he started on horseback at the very moment when the
princess had been found by her followers, wet to the
278
PBINCESS MINON-MINETTE
skin, and blown against a rick. Sonci met the carriage
which was bringing her home, and stopped to congratu-
late her on her escape, and to advise her to put on dry
clothes. Then he continued his journey.
It took a good while for the king to get home again,
and he was rather cross at having had so much trouble
for nothing. Besides which, his courtiers made fun at
his adventure, and he did not like being laughed at,
though of course they did not dare to do it before his
face. And the end of it was that very soon he started
on his travels again, only allowing one equerry to accom-
pany him, and even this attendant he managed to lose
the moment he had left his own kingdom behind him.
Now it was the custom in those days for princes and
princesses to be brought up by fairies, who loved them
as their own children, and did not mind what incon-
venience they put other people to for their sakes, for all
the world as if they had been real mothers. The fairy
Aveline, who lived in a country that touched at one point
the kingdom of King Souci, had under her care the lovely
Princess Minon-Minette, and had made up her mind to
marry her to the young king, who, in spite of his awkward
manners, which could be improved, was really very much
nicer than most of the young men she was likely to meet.
So Aveline made her preparations accordingly, and
began by arranging that the equerry should lose himself
in the forest, after which she took away the king’s sword
and his horse while he lay asleep under a tree. Her
reason for this was that she felt persuaded that, finding
himself suddenly alone and robbed of everything, the
king would hide his real birth, and would have to fall
back on his powers of pleasing, like other men, which
would be much better for him.
When the king awoke and found that the tree to
which he had tied his horse had its lowest branch broken,
and that nothing living was in sight, he was much dis-
mayed, and sought high and low for his lost treasure, but
280
PBINGESS MINON-MINETTE
all in vain. After a time he began to get hungry, so he
decided that he had better try to find his way out of the
forest, and perhaps he might have a chance of getting
something to eat. He had only gone a few steps when
he met Aveline, who had taken the shape of an old
woman with a heavy bundle of faggots on her back. She
staggered along the path and almost fell at his feet, and
Souci, afraid that she might have hurt herself, picked her
up and set her on her feet again before passing on his
way. But he was not to be let off so easy.
‘What about my bundle?’ cried the old woman.
‘ Where is your politeness ? Keally, you seem to have
been very nicely brought up ! What have they taught
you?’
‘ Taught me ? Nothing,’ replied he.
‘ I can well believe it i ’ she said. ‘ You don’t know even
how to pick up a bundle. Oh, you can come near ; I am
cleverer than you, and know how to pick up a bundle
very well.'
The king blushed at her words, which he felt had a
great deal of truth in them, and took up the bundle
meekly.
Aveline, delighted at the success of her first experi-
ment, hobbled along after him, chattering all the while,- as
old women do.
‘ I wish,’ she said, ‘ that all kings had done as much
once in their lives. Then they would know what a lot of
trouble it takes to get wood for their fires.’
Souci felt this to be true, and was sorry for the old
woman.
‘ Where are we going to ? ’ asked he.
‘ To th^ castle of the White Demon ; and if you are
in want of "tork I will find you something to do.’
‘ But I cab(t do anything,’ he said, ‘ except carry a
bundle, and I sha-u’t earn much by that.’
‘ Oh, you are learning/ replied the old woman, ‘ and it
isn’t bad for a fiarst lesson.* But the king was paying very
PRINCESS MINON-MINETTE
281
little attention to her, for he was rather cross and yery
tired. Indeed, he felt that he really could not carry the
bundle any further, and was about to lay it down when
up came a young maiden more beautiful than the day,
and covered with precious stones. She ran to them,
exclaiming to the old woman,
‘ Oh, you poor thing 1 I was just coming after you to
see if I could help you.’
^ Here is a young man,’ replied the old woman, ‘ who
will be quite ready to give you up the bundle. You see
he does not look as if he enjoyed carrying it.’
‘ Will you let me take it, sir ? ’ she asked.
But the king felt ashamed of himself, and held on to
it tightly, while the presence of the princess put him in a
better temper.
So they all travelled together till they arrived at a
very ordinary-looking house, which Aveline pointed out ^
as the castle of the White Demon, and told the king that
he might put down his bundle in the courtyard. The
young man was terribly afraid of being recognised by
someone in this strange position, and would have turned
on his heel and gone away had it not been for the thought
of Minon-Minette. Still, he felt very awkward and lonely,
for both the princess and the old woman had entered the
castle without taking the slightest notice of the young
man, who remained where he was for some time, not
quite knowing what he had better do. At length a ser-
vant arrived and led him up into a beautiful room filled
with people, who were either playing on musical instru-
ments or talking in a lively manner, which astonished
the king, who stood silently listening, and not at all pleased
at the want of attention paid him.
Matters went on this way for some time. Every day
the king fed more and more in love w*ith Minon-Minette,
and every day the princess seemed more and more taken
ip with other people. At last, in despair, the prince
ioudit out the old woman, to try to get some advice
282
PBINGESS MIEON-^MIJSIETTE
from her as to his conduct, or, anyway, to have the plea-
sure of talking about Minon-Minette.
Ho found her spinning in an underground chamber,
but quite ready to tell him all he wanted to know. In
answer to his questions he learned that in order to win
the hand of the princess it was not enough to be born a
]>rince, for she would marry nobody who had not proved
Idmself faithful, and had, besides, all those talents and
accomplishments which help to make people happy.
For a moment Souci was very much cast down on
hearing this, but then he plucked up. ‘ Tell me what I
must do in order to win the heart of the princess, and no
matter how hard it is I will do it. And show me how I
can repay you for your kindness, and you shall have any-
thing I can give you. Shall I bring in your bundle of
faggots every day ? ’
* It is enough that you should have made the offer,’
replied the old woman ; and she added, holding out a
skein of thread, ‘ Take this; one day you will be thankful
for it, and when it becomes useless your difficulties will
he past/
‘ Is it the skein of my life ? ’ ho asked.
It is the skein of your love’s ill-luck,’ she said.
And ho took it and went away.
Now tlu) fairy Girouetto, who had brought up Souci,
had an old friend called Grimace, the protectress of
Prince Fluot. Grimace often talked over the young
prince’s affairs with Girouette, and, when she decided
that ho was old enough to govern his own kingdom, con-
sulted Girouette as to a suitable wife. Girouette, who
stopped to think or to make inquiries, drew such a
clcdightful picture of Minon-Minette that Grimace deter-
rnitKid to spare no pains to bring about the marriage, and
acco^t>gh’‘ Fluet v?a8 presented at court. But though
the pleasant and handsome, the princess
thought him rathehmomanish in some ways, and displayed
her opinion so openly as Jio draw upon herself and Aveline
PEINCESS MINON^MINETTE
283
the anger of the fairy, who declared that Minon-Minette
should never know happiness till she had found a bridge
without an arch and a bird without feathers. So saying,
she also went away.
Before the king set out afresh on his travels Aveline
had restored to him his horse and his sword, and though
these were but small consolation for the absence of the
princess, they were better than nothing, for he felt that
somehow they might be the means of leading him back
to her.
After crossing several deserts the king arrived at
length in a country that seemed inhabited, but the instant
he stepped over the border he was seized and flung into
chains, and dragged at once to the ca.pital. He asked his
guards why he was treated like this, but the only answer
he got was that he was in the territory of the Iron King,
for in those days countries had no names of their own,
but were called after their rulers.
The young man was led into the presence of the Iron
King, who was seated on a black throne in a hall also
hung with black, as a token of mourning for all the rela-
tions whom he had put to death.
‘ What are you doing in my country ? ’ he cried
fiercely.
‘ I came here by accident,’ replied Souci, ‘ and if I
ever escape from your clutches I will take w^arning by
you and treat my subjects differently.’
‘ Do you dare to insult me in my own court ? ’ cried
the king. ' Away with him to Little Ease ! ’
Now Little Base was an iron cage hung by four thick
chains in the middle of a great vaulted hail, and the
prisoner inside could neither sit, nor stand, nor lie; and,
besides that, he was made to suffer by turns unbearable
heat and cold, while a hundred heavy bolts kept every-
thing safe. Girouette, whose business it was to see after
Souci, had forgotten his existence in the excitement of
some new idea, and he would not have been alive long to
284
PBINCESS MINON^MINETTE
trouble anybody if Aveline had not come to the rescue
and whispered in liis ear, ‘ And the skein of thread ? ’
He took it up obediently, though he did not see how it
would help him ; but he tied it round one of the iron bars
of his cage, which seemed the only thing he could do, and
gave a pull. To his surprise the bar gave way at once,
and he found he could break it into a thousand pieces.
After this it did not take him long to get out of his cage, or
to treat the closely barred windows of the hall in the same
manner. But even after he had done all this freedom
appeared as far from him as ever, for between him and
the open country was a high wall, and so smooth that
not even a monkey could climb it. Then Souci’s heart
died within him. He saw nothing for it but to submit to
some horrible death, but he determined that the Iron
King should not profit more than he could help, and
flung his precious thread into the air, saying, as he did so,
* 0 fairy, my misfortunes are greater than your power,
r am grateful for your goodwill, but take back your gift [ '
The fairy had pity on his youth and want of faith, and
took care that one end of the thread remained in his
hand. He suddenly felt a jerk, and saw that the thread
must have caught on something, and this thought filled
him with the daring that is born of despair. ' Better,’ he
said to himself, * trust to a thread than to the mercies of
a king ; ’ and, gliding down, he found himself safe on the
other side of the wall. Then he rolled up the thread
and put it carefully into his pocket, breathing silent
thanks to the fairy.
Now Minon-Minette had been kept informed by
Aveline of the prince’s adventures, and when she heard
of the way in which he had been treated by the Iron King
she became furious, and began to prepare for war. She
made her x^f^^ns witK all the secresy she could, but when
great armies are collected people are apt to suspect a
storm is brewing, and of course it is very difiBicult to
keep anything hidden from fairy godmothers. Anyway,
PEINCESS EriNON-MWETTE
285
Grimace soon heard of it, and as she had never forgiven
Minon-Minette for refusing Prince Fluet, she felt that
here was her chance of revenge.
Up to this time Aveline had been able to put a stop
to many of Grimace’s spiteful tricks, and to keep guard
over Minon-Minette, but she had no power over anything
that happened at a distance; and when the princess
declared her intention of putting herself at the head of
her army, and began to train herself to bear fatigue by
hunting daily, the fairy entreated her to be careful never
to cross the borders of her dominions without Aveline to
protect her. The princess at once gave her promise, and
all went well for some days. Unluckily one morning, as
Minon-Minette was cantering slowly on her beautiful
white horse, thinking a great deal about Souci and not at
all of the boundaries of her kingdom (of which, indeed,
she was very ignorant), she suddenly found herself
in front of a house made entirely of dead leaves, which
somehow brought all sorts of unpleasant things into her
head. She remembered Aveline’s warning, and tried
to turn her horse, but it stood as still as if it had been
marble. Then the princess felt that she was slowly, and
against her will, being dragged to the ground. She
shrieked, and clung tightly to the saddle, hut it was
all in vain; she longed to fly, but something outside
herself proved too strong for her, and she was forced
to take the path that led to the House of Dead
Leaves.
Scarcely had her feet touched the threshold than
Grimace appeared. ‘ So here you are at last, Minon-
Minette ! I have been watching for you a long time, and
my trap was ready for you from the beginning. Come
here, my darling ! I vrill teach you to make war on my
friends 1 Things won’t turn out exacUy as you fancied.
What you have got to do now is to go on your knees to
the king and crave his pardon, and before he consents to
a peace you will have to implore him to grant you the
286
PBINCESS MINON^MINETTE
favour of becoming his wife. Meanwhile you will have
to be my servant.*
From that day the poor princess was put to the
hardest and dirtiest work, and each morning something
more disagreeable seemed to await her. Besides which,
she had no food but a little black bread, and no bed but
a little straw. Out of pure spite she was sent in the
heat of the day to look after the geese, and would most
likely have got a sunstroke if she had not happened to
pick up in the fields a large fan, with which she sheltered
her face. To be sure, a fan seems rather an odd possession
for a goose girl, but the princess did not think of that,
and she forgot all her troubles when, on opening the fan
to use it as a parasol, out tumbled a letter from her lover.
Then she felt sure that the fairy had not forgotten her,
and took heart.
When Grimace saw that Minon-Minette still managed
to look as white as snow, instead of being burnt as brown
as a berry, she wondered what could have happened, and
began to watch her closely. The following day, when the
sun was at its highest and hottest, she noticed her draw
a fan from the folds of her dress and hold it before her
eyes. The fairy, in a rage, tried to snatch it from her,
but the princess would not let it go. ‘ Give me that fan
at once 1 ’ cried Grimace.
‘ Never while I live I ’ answered the princess, and, not
knowing where it would be safest, placed it under her
feet. In an instant she felt herself rising from the ground,
with the fan always beneath her, and while Grimace was
too much blinded by her fury to notice what was going
on the princess was quickly soaring out of her reach.
AH this time Souci had been wandering through the
world with his precious thread carefully fastened round
him, seeking every possible and impossible place where
his beloved princess might chance to be. But though he
sometimes found traces of her, or even messages scratched
on a rock, or cut in the bark of a tree, she herself was
288
PBINCESS MINON^MINETTE
nowhere to be found. ‘ if she is not on the earth; said
Souci to himself, ‘perhaps she is hiding somewhere in
the air. It is there that I shall find her.’ So, by the help
of his thread, he tried to mount upwards, but he could go
such a little way, and hurt himself dreadfully when he
tumbled back to earth again. Still he did not give up,
and after many days of efforts and tumbles he found to
his great joy that he could go a little higher and stay up
a little longer than he had done at first, and by-and-bye
he was able to live in the air altogether. But alas ! the
world of the air seemed as empty of 'her as the world
below, and Souci was beginning to despair, and to think
that he must go and search the world that lay in the sea.
He was floating sadly along, not paying any heed to
where he was going, when he saw in the distance a
beautiful, bright sort of bird coming towards him. His
heart beat fast— he did not know why — and as they both
drew near the voice of the princess exclaimed, ‘ Behold
the bird without feathers and the bridge without an arch ! ’
So their first meeting took place in the air, but it was
none the less happy for that; and the fan grew big
enough to hold the king as weU as Aveline, who had
hastened to give them some good advice. She guided
the fan above the spot where the two armies lay encamped
before .each other ready to give battle. The fight was
long and bloody, but in the end the Iron King was obliged
to give way and surrender to the princess, who set him
to keep King Souci’s sheep, first making him swear a
solemn oath that he would treat them kindly.
Then the marriage took place, in the presence of
Girouette, whom they had the greatest trouble to find,
and who was much astonished to discover how much
business had been got through in her absence.
289
MAIDEN BBIGHDEYE^
Once upon a time there was a man and his wife who had
two children, a boy and a girl. The wife died, and the
man married again. His new wife had an only daughter,
who was both ugly and untidy, whereas her stepdaughter
was a beautiful girl, and was known as Maiden Bright-
eye. Her stepmother was very cruel to her on this
account ; she had always to do the hardest work, and got
very little to eat, and no attention paid to her ; but to her
own daughter she was all that was good. She was spared
from all the hardest of the housework, and had always
the prettiest clothes to wear.
Maiden Bright-eye had also to watch the sheep, but
of course it would never do to let her go idle and enjoy
herself too much at this work, so she had to puU heather
while she was out on the moors with them. Her step-
mother gave her pancakes to take with her for her
dinner, but she had mixed the flour with ashes, and made
them just as bad as she could.
The little girl came out on the moor and began to pull
heather on the side of a little mound, but next minute a
little fellow with a red cap on his head popped up out of
the mound and said :
‘ Who’s that pulling the roof off my house? ’
‘ Oh, it’s me, a poor little girl,’ said she ; ' my mother
sent me out here, and told me to pull heather. If you
will be good to me I will give you a bit of my dinner.’
3 ?
^ Trom the Danish.
U
290
MAIDBN BmailT-.'EYE
The little fellow was quite willing, and she gave him
the biggest share of her pancakes. They were not
particularly good, but when one is hungry anything tastes
well. After he had got them all eaten he said to her :
‘ Now, I shall give you three wishes, for you are a
very nice little girl ; but I will choose the wishes for you.
You are beautiful, and much more beautiful shall you
be ; yes, so lovely that there will not be your like i 2 the
world. The next wish shall be that every time you open
your mouth a gold coin shall fall out of it, and your voice
shall be like the most beautiful music. The third wish
shall be that you may be married to the young king, and
become the queen of the country. At the same time I
shall give you a cap, which you must carefully keep, for
it can save you, if you ever are in danger of your life, if
you just put it on your head.
Maiden Bright-eye thanked the little bergman ever so
MAIDEN BBIGSDEYE
291
often, and drove home her sheep in the evening. By that
time she had grown so beautiful that her people could
scarcely recognise her. Her stepmother asked her how
it had come about that she had grown so beautiful. She
told the whole story — for she always told the truth — that
a little man had come to her out on the moor and had
given her all this beauty. She did not tell, however, that
she had given him a share of her dinner.
The stepmother thought to herself, ‘ If one can be-
come so beautiful by going out there, my own daughter
shall also be sent, for she can well stand being made a
little prettier.’
Next morning she baked for her the finest cakes, and
dressed her prettily to go out with the sheep. But she
was afraid to go away there without having a stick to
defend herself with, if anything should come near her.
She was not .very much inclined for pulling the
heather, as she never was in the habit of doing any work,
but she was only a minute or so at it when up came the
same little fellow with the red cap, and said :
‘ Who’s that pulling the roof off my house ? ’
' What’s that to you? ’ said she.
‘ Well, if you will give me a bit of your dinner I won’t
do you any mischief," said he.
‘ I will give you something else in place of my dinner,’
said she. ‘ I can easily eat it myself ; but if you zoill have
something you can have a whack of my stick,’ and with
that she raised it in the air and struck the bergman over
the head with it.
^ What a wicked little girl you are ! ’ said he ; * but you
shall be none the better of this. I shall give you three
wishes, and choose them for you. First, I shall say,
Ugly are you, but you shall become^ so ugly that there
will not be an uglier one on earth.” Next I shall wish
that every time you open your mouth a big toad may fall
out of it, and your voice shall be like the roaring of a b^.
In the third place I shall wish for you a violent death.’
MAIDEN BElGHT^EYE
^^2
The girl went home in the evening, and when her
mother saw her she was as vexed as she could be, and
with good reason, too ; but it was still worse when she saw
the toads fall out of her mouth and heard her voice.
Now we must hear something about the stepson.
He had gone out into the world to look about him, and
took service in the king’s palace. About this time he got
permission to go home and see his sister, and when he
saw how lovely and beautiful she was, he was so pleased
and delighted that when he came back to the king’s
palace everyone there wanted to know what he was
always so happy about. He told them that it was because
he had such a lovely sister at home.
At last it came to the ears of the king what the
brother said about his sister, and, besides that, the report
of her beauty spread far and wide, so that the youth was
summoned before the king, who asked him if everything
was true that was told about the girl. He said it was
quite true, for he had seen her beauty with his own eyes,
and had heard with his own ears how sweetly she could
sing and what a lovely voice she had.
The king then took a great desire for her, and ordered
her brother to go home and bring her back with him, for
he trusted no one better to accomplish that errand. He
got a ship, and everything else that he required, and sailed
home for his sister. As soon as the stepmother heard
what his errand was she at once said to herself, * This
will never come about if I can do anything to hinder it.
She must not be allowed to come to such honour.’
She then got a dress made for her own daughter, like
the finest robe for a queen, and she had a mask prepared
and put upon her face, so that she looked quite pretty,
and gave her strict orders not to take it off until the king
had promised to wed her.
The brother now set sail with his two sisters, for the
stepmother pretended that -the ugly one wanted to see
the other a bit on her way. But when they got out to sea,
MAIDEN BBIGET-EYE
293
Siiid Maiu3ii !Bright-eye came up on deck, the sister did as
her mother had instructed her— she gave her a push and
made her fall into the water. When the brother learned
what had happened he was greatly distressed, and did
not know what to do. He could not bring himself to teE
the truth about what had happened, nor did he expect
294
MAIDEN BBIGHT-EYE
that the king would believe it. In the long run he
decided to hold on his way, and let things go as they
liked. What he had expected happened — the king
received his sister and wedded her at once, but repented
it after the first night, as he could scarcely put down his
foot in the morning for all the toads that were about the
room, and when he saw her real face he was so enraged
against the brother that he had him thrown into a pit full
of serpents. He was so angry, not merely because he had
been deceived, but because he could not get rid of the
ugly wretch that was now tied to him for life.
Now we shall hear a little about Maiden Bright-eye.
When she fell into the water she was fortunate enough
to get the bergman’s cap put on her head, for now she
was in danger of her life, and she was at once transformed
into a duck. The duck swam away after the ship, and
came to the king’s palace on the next evening. There it
waddled up the drain, and so into the kitchen, where her
little dog lay on the hearth-stone; it could not bear to
stay in the fine chambers along with the ugly sister, and
had taken refuge down here. The duck hopped up till it
could talk to the dog.
‘ Good evening,’ it said.
‘ Thanks, Maiden Bright-eye,’ said the dog.
‘ Where is my brother ? ’
' He is in the serpent-pit.’
‘ Where is my wicked sister ? ’
' She is with the noble king,’
‘ Alas ! alas ! I am here this evening, and shall be for
two evenings yet, and then I shall never come again.’
When it had said this the duck waddled off again.
Several of the servant girls heard the conversation, and
were greatly surprised at it, and thought that it would be
worth while to catch the bird next evening and see into
the matter a httle more closely. They had heard it say
that it would come again.
Next evening it appeared as it had said, and a great
MAIDEN BBIGHDEYE
295
many were present to see it. It came waddling in by the
drain, and went np to the dog, which was lying on the
hearth-stone.
‘ Good evening,’ it said.
‘ Thanks, Maiden Bright-eye,’ said the dog.
‘ Where is my brother ? ’
‘ He is in the serpent-pit.’
' Where is my wicked sister ? *
' She is with the noble king.’
‘ Alas ! alas ! I am here this evening, and shall be for
one evening yet, and then I shall never come again.’
After this it slipped out, and no one could get hold of
it. But the king’s cook thought to himself, ‘ I shall see
if I can’t get hold of you to-morrow evening.’
On the third evening the duck again came waddling
in by the drain, and up to the dog on the hearth-stone.
‘ Good evening,’ it said.
' Thanks, Maiden Bright-eye,’ said the dog.
‘ Where is my brother? ’
' He is in the serpent-pit.’
^ Where is my wicked sister ?
^ She is with the noble king.’
‘ Alas I alas 1 now I shall never come again.’
With this it slipped out again, but in the meantime
the cook had posted himself at the outer end of the drain
with a net, which he threw over it as it came out. In
this way he caught it, and came in to the others with
the most beautiful duck they had ever seen— with so many
golden feathers on it that everyone marvelled. No
one, however, knew what was to be done with it ; but
after what they had heard they knew that there was
something uncommon about it, so they took good care
of it.
At this time the brother in the -serpent-pit dreamed
that his right sister had come swimming to the king’s
palace in the shape of a duck, and that she could not
regain her own form until her beak was cut off. He got
296
MAIDEN BBIGET-ETE
this dream told to some one, so that the king at last came
to hear of it, and had him taken up out of the pit and
brought before him. The king then asked him if he could
produce to him his sister as beautiful as he had formerly
described her. The brother said he could if they would
bring him the duck and a knife.
Both of them were brought to him, and he said, ‘ I
wonder how you would look if I were to cut the point’ off
your beak.’
With this he cut a piece off the beak, and there came
a voice which said, ‘ Oh, oh, you cut my little finger ! ’
Next moment Maiden Bright-eye stood there, as lovely
and beautiful as he had seen her when he was home.
This was his sister now, he said ; and the whole story
now came out of how the other had behaved to her. The
wicked sister was put into a barrel with spikes round it,
which was dragged off by six wild horses, and so she came
to her end. But the king was delighted with Mn.idon
Bright-eye, and immediately made her his queen, while
her brother became his prime minister.
THE MEBBY WIVES ^
There lay three houses in a row, in one of which there
lived a tailor, in another a carpenter, and in the third a
smith. All three were married, and their wives were
very good friends. They often talked about how stupid
their husbands were, but they could never agree as to
which of them had the most stupid one ; each one stuck
up for her own husband, and maintained that it was he.
The three wives went to church together every
Sunday, and had a regular good gossip on the way, and
when they were coming home from church they always
turned into the tavern which lay by the wayside and
drank half a pint together. This was at the time when
half a pint of brandy cost threepence, so that was just a
penny from each of them.
But the brandy went up in price, and the taverner
said that he must have fourpence for the half -pint.
They were greatly annoyed at this, for there were
only the three of them to share it, and none of them was
willing to pay the extra penny.
As they went home from the church that day they
decided to wager with each other as to whose husband
was the most stupid, and the one who, on the following
Sunday, should be judged to have played her husband
the greatest trick should thereafter go free from paying,
and each of the two others would give twopence for their
Sunday’s half-pint.
^ From the Danish.
298
T3B MEBBY WIVES
Next; day the tailor’s wife said to her husband,
have some girls coming to-day to help to card my wool ;
there is a great deal to do, and we must be very busy. J
am so annoyed that our watchdog is dead, for in the
evening the young fellows will come about to get fun
with the girls, and they will get nothing done. If we
had only had a fierce watchdog he would have kept them
away.’
* Yes,’ said the man, ‘ that would have been a good
thing.’
' Listen, good man,’ said the wife, ' you must just be
the watchdog yourself, and scare the fellows away from
the house.’
The husband was not very sure about this, although
otherwise he was always ready to give in to her.
* Oh yes, you will see it will work all right,’ said the
wife.
And so towards evening she got the tailor dressed up
in a shaggy fur coat, tied a black woollen cloth round his
head, and chained him up beside the dog’s kennel.’
There he stood and barked and growled at everyone
that moved in his neighbourhood. The neighbour wives
knew all about this, and were greatly amused at it.
On the day after this the carpenter had been out at
work, and came home quite merry ; but as soon as he
entered the house his wife clapped her hands together
and cried, ‘ My dear, what makes you look like that ?
You are ill.'"
The carpenter knew nothing about being ill ; he only
thought that he wanted something to eat, so he sat down
at the table and began his dinner.
His wife sat straight in front of him, with her hands
folded, and shook her head, and looked at him with an
anxious air.
‘ You are getting worse, my dear,’ she said ; ' you are
quite pale now ; you have a serious illness about you ; I
can see it by your looks/
TEE MEBBY WIVES
299
The husband now began to grow anxious, and thought
that perhaps he was not quite ’well.
‘ No, indeed,’ said she ; ‘ it’s high time that you were in
bed.’
She then got him to lie do\wi, and piled above him
all the bedclothes she could find, and gave him various
medicines, while he grew worse and worse.
‘ You will never get over it,’ said she ; ' I am afraid
you are going to die.’
‘ Do you think so ? ’ said the carpenter ; ‘ I can well
believe it, for I am indeed very poorly.’
In a little while she said again, ‘ Ah, now I must part
with you. Here comes Death. Now I must close your
eyes.’ And she did so.
The carpenter believed everything that his wife said,
and' so he believed now that he was dead, and lay still
and let her do as she pleased.
She got her neighbours summoned, and they helped
to lay him in the coffin — it was one of those he himself
had made ; but his vdfe had bored holes in it to let him
get some air. She made a soft bed under him, and put a
coverlet over him, and she folded his hands over his
breast ; but instead of a flower or a psalm-book, she gave
him a pint-bottle of brandy in his hands. After he had
lain for a little he took a little pull at this, and then
another and another, and he thought this did him good,
and soon he was sleeping sweetly, and dreaming that he
was in heaven.
Meanwhile word had gone round the village that the
carpenter was dead, and was to be buried next day.
It was now the turn of the smith’s wife. Her hus-
band was lying sleeping off the effects of a drinking bout,
so she pulled off all his clothes and made him black as
coal from head to foot, and then let him sleep till far on
in the day.
The funeral party had already met at the carpen-
ter’s, and marched off towards the church with the
300
TEJ^ MEEBY WIVES
coflSn, when the smith’s wife came rushing in to her
husband.
' Gracious, man,’ said she, ' you are lying there yet?
You are sleeping too long. You know you are going to
the funeral.’
The smith was quite confused ; he knew nothing about
any funeral.
‘ It’s our neighbour the carpenter,’ said his wife, ^ who
is to be buried to-day. They are already half-way to
church with him.’
‘ All right,’ said the smith, ‘ make haste to help me on
with my black clothes.’
‘ What nonsense 1 ’ said his wife, ^ you have them on
already. Be off with you now.’
The smith looked down at his person and saw that he
was a good deal blacker than he usually was, so he caught
up his hat and ran out after the funeral. This was
already close to the church, and the smith wanted to take
part in carrying the coffin, like a good neighbour. So he
ran with all his might, and shouted after them, ‘ Hey !
wait a little ; let me get a hold of him 1 ’
The people turned round and saw the black figure
coming, and thought it was the devil himself, who wanted
to get hold of the carpenter, so they threw down the
coffin and took to their heels.
The lid sprang off the coffin with the shock, and the
carpenter woke up and looked out. He remembered the
whole affair ; he knew that he was dead and was going
to be buried, and recognising the smith, he said to him,
in a low voice, ‘ My good neighbour, if I hadn’t been dead
already, I should have laughed myself to death now to
see you coming like this to my funeral.’
Brom that time forth the carpenter’s wife drank free
of expense every Su'nday, for the others had to admit that
she had fooled her husband the best.
Eim LINDOBM
Theee once lived a king and a queen who ruled over a
very great kingdom. They had large revenues, and lived
happily with each other ; but, as the years went past, the
king’s heart became heavy, because the queen had no
children. She also sorrowed greatly over it, because,
although the king said nothing to her about this trouble,
yet she could see that it vexed him that they had no heir
to the kingdom; and she wished every day that she
might have one.
One day a poor old woman came to the castle and
asked to speak with the queen. The royal servants
answered that they could not let such a poor beggar-
woman go in to their royal mistress. They offered her a
penny, and told her to go away. Then the woman desired
them to tell the queen that there stood at the palace gate
one who would help her secret sorrow. This message was
taken to the queen, who gave orders to bring the old
woman to her. This was done, and the old woman said
to her :
* I know your secret sorrow, O queen, and am come
to help you in it. You wish to have a son ; you shall
have two if you follow my instructions.
The queen was greatly surprised that the old woman
knew her secret wish so well, and promised to follow her
advice. ,
‘ You must have a bath set in your room, O queen,
* From the Swedish.
302
KING LINDOBM
said she, ^ and filled with running water. When you
have bathed in this you will find under the bath two red
onions. These you must carefully peel and eat, and in
time your wish will be fulfilled.’
The queen did as the poor woman told her ; and after
she had bathed 'she found the two onions under the bath.
They were both alike in size and appearance. When she
saw these she knew that the woman had been something
more than she seemed to be, and in her delight she ate
up one of the onions, skin and all. When she had done
so she* remembered that the woman had told her to
peel them carefully before she ate them. It was now
too late for the one of them, but she peeled the other and
then ate it too.
In due time it happened as the woman had said ; but
the first that the queen gave birth to was a hideous
lindorm, or serpent. No one saw this but her waiting-
woman, who threw it out of the window into the forest
beside the castle. The next that came into the world was
the most beautiful little prince; and he was shown to
the king and queen, who knew nothing about his brother
the lindorm.
There was now joy in all the palace and over the
whole country on account of the beautiful prince ; but
no one knfew that the queen’s first-born was a lindorm,
and lay in the wild forest. Time passed with the king,
the queen, and the young prince in all happiness and
prosperity, until he was twenty years of his age. Then
his parents said to him that he should journey to another
kingdom and seek for himself a bride, for they were
beginning to grow old, and would fain see their son
married before they were laid in their grave. The
prince obeyed, had his horses harnessed to his gilded
chariot, and set out to woo his bride. But when he came
to the first cross-ways there lay a huge and terrible
lindorm right across the road, so that his horses had to
come to a standstill.
KING LINDOBM
303
‘ Where are you driving to? ’ asked the lindorm \vith
a hideous voice.
‘ That does not concern you,’ said the prince. ‘ I am
the prince, and can drive where I please.’
‘ Turn back,’ said the lindorm. * I know your errand,
but you shall get no bride until I have got a mate and
slept by her side.’
The prince turned home again, and told the king and
the queen what he had met at the cross-roads ; but they
thought that he should try again on the following day,
and see whether he could not get past it, so that he might
seek a bride in another kingdom.
The prince did so, but got no further than the first
cross-roads ; there lay the lindorm again, who stopped
him in the same way as before.
The same thing happened on the third day when the
prince tried to get past : the lindorm said, with a threaten-
ing voice, that before the prince could get a bride he
himself must find a mate.
When the king and queen heard this for the third
time they could think of no better plan than to invite
the lindorm to the palace, and they would find him a
mate. They thought that a lindorm would be quite well
satisfied with anyone that they might give him, and so
they would, get some slave-woman to marry the monster.
The lindorm came to the palace and received a bride of
this kind, but in the morning she lay torn in pieces. So
it happened every time that the king and queen com-
pelled any woman to be his bride.
The report of this soon spread over all the country.
Now it happened that there was a man who had married
a second time, and his wife heard of the lindorm with
great delight. Her husband had a daughter by his first
wife who was more beautiful than all other maidens,
and so gentle and good that she won the heart of all who
knew her. His second wife, however, had also a grown-
up daughter, who by herself would have been ugly and
304
KING LINDOBM
disagreeable enough, but beside her good and beautiful
stepsister seemed still more ugly and wicked, so that all
turned from her with loathing.
The stepmother had long been annoyed that her
husband’s daughter was so much more beautiful than
her own, and in her heart she conceived a bitter hatred
for her stepdaughter. When she now heard that there
was in the king’s palace a lindorm which tore in pieces
all the women that were married to him, and demanded
a beautiful maiden for his bride, she went to the king,
and said that her stepdaughter wished to wed the
lindorm, so that the country’s only prince might travel
and seek a bride. At this the king was greatly delighted,
and gave orders that the young girl should be brought to
the palace.
When the messengers came to fetch her she was
terribly frightened, for she knew that it was her wicked
stepmother who in this way was aiming at her life. She
begged that she might be allowed to spend another night
in her father’s house. This was granted her, and she
went to her mother’s grarve. There she lamented her
hard fate in being given over to the lindorm, and
earnestly prayed her mother for counsel. How long she
lay the^e by the grave and wept one cannot tell, but sure
it is that she fell asleep and slept until the sun rose.
Then she rose up from the grave, quite happy at heart,
and began to search about in the fields. There she found
three nuts, which she carefully put away in her pocket.
' When I come into very great danger I must break
one of these,’ she said to herself. Then she went home,
and set out quite willingly with the king’s messengers.
When these arrived at the palace with the beautiful
young maiden everyone pitied her fate ; but she herself
was of good courage, and asked the queen for another
bridal chamber than the one the lindorm had had before.
She got this, and then she requested them to put a pot
full of strong lye on the fire and lay down three new
KING LINDOBM
305
scabbing brushes. The queen gave orders thl^<6very-
thing should be done as she desired; and
maiden dressed herself in seven clean snow-white shirts,
and held her wedding with the lindorm.
When they were left alone in the bridal chamber the
lindorm, in a threatening voice, ordered her to undress
herself.
‘ Undress yourself first 1 ’ said she.
‘ None of the others bade me do that,’ said he in
surprise.
‘ But I bid you,’ said she.
Then the lindorm began to wTithe, and groan, and
breathe heavily ; and after a little he had cast his outer
skin, which lay on the floor, hideous to behold Then
his bride took off one of her snow-white shirts, and cast
it on the lindorm’s skin. Again he ordered her to un-
dress, and again she commanded him to do so first. He
had to obey, and with groanmg and pain cast off one
skin after another, and for each skin the maiden threw
off one of her shirts, until there lay on the floor seven
lindorm skins and six snow-white shirts; the seventh
she still had on. The lindorm now lay before her as a
formless, slimy mass, which she with all her might
began to scrub with the lye and new scrubbing brushes.
When she had nearly worn out the last of these there
stood before her the loveliest youth in the world. He
thanked her for having saved him from his enchantment,
and told her that he was the king and queen’s eldest son,
and heir to the Mngdom. Then he asked her whether
she would keep the promise she had made to the lindorm,
to share everything with him. To this she was well
content to answer ‘ Yes/
Each time that the lindorm had held his wedding one
of the king’s retainers was sent ne^rt morning to open
the door of the bridal chamber and see whether the
bride was alive. This next morning also he peeped in
at the door, but what he saw there surprised him sp^'^
306
KING LINDOBM
much that he shut the door in a hurry, and hastened to
the king and queen, who were waiting for his report.
He told them of the wonderful sight he had seen. On
the floor lay seven lindorm skins and six snow-white
shirts, and beside these three worn-out scrubbing
brushes, while in the bed a beautiful youth was lying
asleep beside the fair young maiden.
The king and queen marvelled greatly what this could
mean ; but just then the old woman who was spoken of
in the beginning of the story was again brought in to
the queen. She reminded her how she had not followed
her instructions, but had eaten the first onion with all
its skins, on which account her first-born had been a
lindorm. The waiting- woman was then summoned, and
admitted that she had thrown it out through the window
into the forest. The king and queen now sent for their
eldest son and his young bride. They took them both
in their arms, and asked him to tell about his sorrowful
lot during the twenty years he had lived in the forest as
a hideous lindorm. This he did, and then his parents
had it proclaimed over the whole country that he was
their eldest son, and along with his spouse should inherit
the country and kingdom after them.
Prince Lindorm and his beautiful wife now lived in
joy and prosperity for a time in the palace ; and when
his father was laid in the grave, not long after this, he
obtained the whole kingdom. Soon afterwards his
mother also departed from this world.
Now it happened that an enemy declared war against
the young king ; and, as he foresaw that it would be three
years at the least before he could return to his country
and his queen, he ordered all his servants who remained
at home to guard her most carefully. That they might
be able to write to each other in confidence, he had two
seal rings made, one for himself and one for his young
queen, and issued an order that no one, under pain of
death, was to open any letter that was sealed with one of
308 KING LINDOBM
these. Then he took farewell of his queen, and marched
out to war.
The queen * 0 wicked stepmother had heard with great
grief that her beautiful stepdaughter had prospered so
well that she had not only preserved her life, but had
even become queen of the country. She now plotted
continually how she might destroy her good fortune.
While King Lindorm was away at the war the wicked
woman came to the queen, and spoke fair to her, saying
that she had always foreseen that her stepdaughter was
destined to be something great in the world, and that
she had on this account secured that she should be
the enchanted prince’s bride. The queen, who did not
imagine that any person could be so deceitful, bade her
stepmother welcome, and kept her beside her.
Soon after this the queen had two children, the
prettiest boys that anyone could see. When she had written
a letter to the king to tell him of this her stepmother
asked leave to comb her hair for her, as her own mother
used to do. The queen gave her permission, and the
stepmother combed her hair until she fell asleep. Then
she took the seal ring off her neck, and exchanged the
letter for another, in which she had written that the queen
had given birth to two whelps.
When the king received this letter he was greatly
distressed, but he remembered how he himself had lived
for twenty years as a lindorm, and had been freed from
the spell by his young queen. He therefore wrote back
to his most trusted retainer that the queen and her two
whelps should be taken care of while he was away.
The stepmother, however, took this letter as well,
and wrote a new one, in which the king ordered that the
queen and the two little princes should be burnt at the
stake. This she also sealed with the queen’s seal, which
was in all respects like the king’s.
The retainer was greatly shocked and grieved at the
khig’s orders, for which he could discover no reason ; but,
KING LINDOBM
309
as he had not the heart to destroy three innocent beings,
he had a great fire kindled, and in this he burned a sheep
and two lambs, so as to make people believe that he had
carried out the king’s commands. The stepmother had
made these known to the people, adding that the queen
was a wicked sorceress.
The faithful servant, however, told the queen that it
was the king’s command that during the years he was
absent in the war she should keep herself concealed in
the castle, so that no one but himself should see her and
the little princes.
The queen obeyed, and no one knew but that both
she and her children had been burned. But when the
time came near for King Lindorm to return home from
the war the old retainer grew frightened because he had
not obeyed his orders. He therefore went to the queen,
and told her everything, at the same time showing her
the king’s letter containing the command to burn her and
the princes. He then begged her to leave the palace
before the king returned.
The queen now took her two little sons, and wandered
out into the wild forest. They walked all day without
finding a human habitation, and became very tired. The
queen then caught sight of a man who carried some
venison. He seemed very poor and wretched, but the
queen was glad to see a human being, and asked him
whether he knew where she and her little children could
get a house over their heads for the night.
The man answered that he had a little hut in the
forest, and that she could rest there ; but he also said
that he was one who lived entirely apart from men, and
owned no more than the hut, a horse, and a dog, and
supported himself by hunting.
The queen followed him to the hut and rested there
overnight with her children, and when she awoke in the
morning the man had already gone out hunting. The
queen then began to put the room in order and prepare
310
KING LINDOBM
food, so that when the man came home he found every-
thing neat and tidy, and this seemed to give him some
pleasure. He spoke but little, however, and all that he
said about himself was that his name was Peter.
Later in the day he rode out into the forest, and the
queen thought that he looked very unhappy. While he
was away she looked about her in the hut a little more
closely, and found a tub full of shirts stained with blood,
lying among water. She was surprised at this, but
thought that the man would get the blood on his shirt
when he was carrying home venison. She washed the
shirts, and hung them up to dry, and said nothing to
Peter about the matter.
After some time had passed she noticed that every
day he came riding home from the forest he took off a
blood-stained shirt and put on a clean one. She then
saw that it was something else than the blood of the deer
that stained his shirts, so one day she took courage and
asked him about it.
At first he refused to tell her, but she then related to
him her own story, and how she had succeeded in deliver-
ing the lindorm. He then told her that he had formerly
lived a wild hfe, and had finally entered into a written com-
pact with the Evil Spirit. Before this contract had expired
he had repented and turned from his evil ways, and with-
drawn himself to this solitude. The Evil One had then
lost all power to take him, but so long as he had the
contract he could compel him to meet him in the forest
each day at a certain time, where the evil spirits then
scourged him till he bled.
Next day, when the time came for the man to
ride into the forest, the queen asked him to stay at home
and look after the princes, and she would go to meet the
evil spirits in his place. The man was amazed, and said
that this would not only cost her her life, but would also
bring upon him a greater misfortune than the one he was
already under. She bade him be of good courage, looked
KING LINDORM
311
to see that she had the three nuts which she had found
beside her mother s grave, mounted her horse, and rode
out into the forest. When she had ridden for some time
the evil spirits came forth and said, ‘ Here comes Peter’s
horse and Peter’s hound ; but Peter himself is not with
them.’
Then at a distance she heard a terrible voice demand-
ing to know what she wanted.
' I have come to get Peter’s contract,’ said she.
At this there arose a terrible uproar among the evil
spirits, and the worst voice among them all said, ‘ Eide
home and tell Peter that when he comes to-morrow he
shall get twice as many strokes as usual.’
The queen then took one of her nuts and cracked it,
and turned her horse about. At this sparks of fire flew
out of all the trees, and the evil spirits howled as if they
were being scourged back to their abode.
Next day at the same time the queen again rode out
into the forest ; but on this occasion the spirits did not
dare to come so near her. They would not, however,
give up the contract, but threatened both her and the
man. Then she cracked her second nut, and all the
forest behind her seemed to be in fire and flames, and the
evil spirits howled even worse than on the previous day ;
but the contract they would not give up.
The queen had only one nut left now, but even that
she was ready to give up in order to deliver the man.
This time she cracked the nut as soon as she came near
the place where the spirits appeared, and what then
happened to them she could not see, but amid wild
screams and howls the contract was handed to her at the
end of a long branch. The queen rode happy home to the
hut, and happier still was the man, who had been sitting
there in great anxiety, for now he was freed from all the
power of the evil spirits.
Meanwhile King Lindorm had come home from the
war, and the first question he asked when he entered the
312
KING LINDOBM
palace was about the queen and the whelps. The atten-
dants were surprised: they knew of no whelps. The
queen had had two beautiful princes ; but the king had
sent orders that all these were to be burned.
The king grew pale with sorrow and anger, and
ordered them to summon his trusted retainer, to whom
he had sent the instructions that the queen and the
whelps were to be carefully looked after. The retainer,
however, showed him the letter in which there was
written that the queen and her children were to be burned,
and everyone then understood that some great treachery
had been enacted.
When the king’s trusted retainer saw his master’s
deep sorrow he confessed to him that he had spared the
lives of the queen and the princes, and had only burned
a sheep and two lambs, and had kept the queen and her
children hidden in the palace for three years, but had sent
her out into the wild forest just when the king was
expected ' home. When the king heard this his sorrow
was lessened, and he said that he would wander out into
the forest and search for his wife and children. If he
found them he would return to his palace ; but if he did
not find them he would never see it again, and in that
case the faithful retainer who had saved the lives of the
queen and the princes should be king in his stead.
The king then went forth alone into the wild forest,
and wandered there the whole day without seeing a
single human being. So it went with him the second day
also, but on the third day he came by roundabout ways
to the httle hut. He went in there, and asked for leave
to rest himself for a little on the bench. The queen and
the princes were there, but she was poorly clad and so
sorrowful that the king did not recognise her, neither did
he think for a moment that the two children, who were
dressed only in rough skins, were his own sons.
He lay down on the bench, and, tired as he was,
he soon fell asleep. The bench was a narrow one,
314
KING LfNDOBM
and as he slept his arm fell down and hung by the
side of it.
‘My son, go and lift your father’s arm up on the
bench,’ said the queen to one of the princes, for she easily
knew the king again, although she was afraid to make
herself known to him. The boy went and took the king’s
arm, but, being only a child, he did not lift it up very gently
on to the bench.
The king woke at this, thinking at first that he had
fallen into a den of robbers, but he decided to keep quiet
and pretend that he was asleep until he should find out
what kind of folk were in the house. He lay still for a
little, and, as no one moved in the room, he again let his
arm glide down off the bench. Then he heard a woman’s
voice say, ‘ My son, go you and lift your father’s arm up
on the bench, but don’t do it so roughly as your brother
did.’ Then he felt a pair of little hands softly clasping
his arm ; he opened his eyes, and saw his queen and her
children.
He sprang up and caught all three in his arms, and
afterwards took them, along with the man and his horse
and his hound, back to the palace with great joy. The
most unbounded rejoicing reigned there then, as well as
over the whole kingdom, but the wicked stepmother was
burned.
King Lindorm lived long and happily with his queen,
and there are some who say that if they are not dead now
they are still living to this day.
315
THE JACKAL, THE DOVE, AND
THE PANTHERS
Thebe was once a dove who built a nice soft nest as a
home for her three little ones. She was very proud of
their beauty, and perhaps talked about them to her
neighbours more than she need have done, till at last every-
body for miles round knew where the three prettiest
baby doves in the whole country-side were to be found.
One day a jackal who was prowling about in search
of a dinner came by chance to the foot of the rock where
the dove’s nest was hidden away, and he suddenly
bethought himself that if he could get nothing better he
might manage to make a mouthful of one of the young
doves. So he shouted as loud as he could, ' OH, ohe,
mother dove.’
And the dove replied, trembling with fear, ‘ What do
you want, sir ? ’
* One of your children,’ said he ; ‘ and if you don’t
throw it to me I will eat up you and the others as well/
Now, the dove was nearly driven distracted at the
jackal’s words ; but, in order to save the lives of the other
two, she did at last throw the little one out of the nest.
The jackal ate it up, and went home to sleep.
Meanwhile the mother dove sat on the edge of her
nest, crying bitterly, when a heron, who was flying slowly
* Contes populaires des Bassoutos. Eecu^ilKs et kadoik pw?
E. Jacottet. Paris : Leroux, Editeur,
316 THE JACKAL, DOVE, AND PANTHER
past the rock, was filled with pity for her, and stopped to
ask, ‘ What is the matter, you poor dove ? ’
And the dove answered, ‘ A jackal came by, and asked
me to give him one of my little ones, and said that if I
refused he would jump on my nest and eat us all up.’
But the heron replied, ' You should not have believed
him. Ke could never have jumped so high. He only
deceived you because he wanted something for supper.’
And with these words the heron flew off.
He had hardly got out of sight when again the jackal
came creeping slowly round the foot of the rock. And
when he saw the dove he cried out a second time, ‘ Ohe,
oh6, mother dove ! give me one of your little ones, or I
will jump on your nest and eat you all up.’
This time the dove knew better, and she answered
boldly, * Indeed, I shall do nothing of the sort,’ though
her heart beat wildly with fear when she saw the jackal
preparing for a spring.
However, he only cut himself against the rock, and
thought he had better stick to threats, so he started
again with his old cry, ‘ Mother dove, mother dove ! be
quick and give me one of your little ones, or I will eat
you all up.’
But the mother dove only answered as before, ‘ Indeed,
I shall do nothing of the sort, for I know we are safely
out of your reach.’
The jackal felt it was quite hopeless to get what he
wanted, and asked, ‘ Tell me, mother dove, how have you
suddenly become so wise ? ’
‘ It was the heron who told me,’, replied she.
‘ And which way did he go ? ’ said the jackal
' Down there among the reeds. You can see him if
you look,’ said the dove.
Then the jackal nodded good-bye, and went quickly
after the he^'on. He soon came up to the great bird, who
was standing on a stone on the edge of the river watching
for a nice fat fish. * Tell me, heron,’ said he, ‘ when the
THE JACKAL, LOVE, ANV PANTHEB 317
^vind blows from that quarter, to which side do you
' And which side do yoti turn to ? ’ asked the heron.
The jackal answered, ‘ I always turn to this side.’
‘ Then that is the side I turn to,’ remarked the heron.
' And when the rain comes from that quarter, which
side do you turn to ? ’
And the heron replied, ‘ And which side do you turn
to ? ’
‘ Oh, I always turn to this side,’ said the jackal.
‘ Then that is the side I turn to,’ said the heron.
' And when the rain comes straight down, what do
you do ? ’
‘ What do you do yourself ? ’ asked the heron.
‘ I do this,’ answered the jackal. 'I cover my head
with my paws.’
^ Then that is what I do,’ said the heron. ‘ I cover
my head with my wings,’ and as he spoke he lifted his
large wings and spread them completely over his head.
With one bound the jackal had seized him by the
neck, and began to shake him.
' Oh, have pity, have pity ! ’ cried the heron. ‘ I never
did you any harm.’
‘ You told the dove how to get the better of me, and I
am going to eat you for it.’
‘But if you will let me go,’ entreated the heron, ‘I
will show you the place where the panther has her lair.’
‘ Then you had better be quick about it,’ said the
jackal, holding tight on to the heron until he had pointed
out the panther’s den. ‘ Now you may go, my friend, for
there is plenty of food here for me.’
So the jackal came up to the panther, and asked
politely, ‘ Panther, would you like me to look after your
children while you are out hunting ? ’
‘ I should be very much obliged,’ said the panther ;
‘ but be sure you take care of them. They always cry all
the time that I am away.’
318 THE JACKAL, DOVE, AND PANTHER
So saying slie trotted off, and the jackal marched info
the cave, where he found ten little panthers, and instantly
ate one up. By-and-bye the panther returned from
hunting, and said to him, ‘Jackal, bring out my little
ones for their supper,’
The jackal fetched them out one by one till he had
brought out nine, and he took the last one and brought
it out again, so the whole ten seemed to be there, and the
panther was quite satisfied.
Next day she went again to the chase, and the jackal
ate up another little panther, so now there w^ere only
eight. In the evening, when she came back, the panther
said, ‘ Jackal, Inang out my little ones ! ’
And the jackal brought out first one and then another,
and the last one he brought out three times, so that the
wliole ten seemed to be there.
The following day the same thing happened, and the
next and tlm next and the next, till at length there was
not even one left, and the rest of the day the jackal busied
himself with digging a large hole at the back of the den.
That night, when the panther returned from hunting,
she said to him as usual, ‘Jackal, bring out my little
ones/
But the jackal replied: * Bring out your little ones,
indeed I Why, you know as well as I do that you have
eaten them all up.'
Of course the panther had not the least idea what the
jackal meant by this, and only repeated, ‘ Jackal, bring
out my children.’ As she got no answer she entered the
cave, hxkt found no jackal, for he had crawled through the
hole ho had made and escaped. And, what was worse,
she did not find the little ones either.
Now the panther was not going to let the jackal get
off like that, and set oflf at a trot to catch him. The
jackal, however, had got a good start, and he reached a
place where a swarm of bees deposited their honey in the
cleft of a rook. Then he stood still and waited till the
THE JACKAL, DOVE, AND PANTHER 319
panther came up to him; ‘Jackal, where are my little
ones ? ’ she askecl.
And the jackal answered: ‘They are up there. It
is where I keep school.’
The panther looked about, and then inquired, ‘ But
where? I see nothing of them.’
• THE ’BABOOT^^VISHES •TO^.SEE^THE*? ftNTHEBjS-CHllDIlEN »
‘ Come a little this way/ said the jackal, ‘ and you will
hear how beautifully they sing.’
So the panther drew near the cleft of the rock,
‘ Don’t you hear them? ’ said the jackal ; ‘ they are in
there/ and slipped away while the panther was listening
to the song of the children.
320 THE JACKAL, DOVE, AND PANTHER
She was still standing in the same place when a
baboon went by. ' What are you doing there, panther ? ’
' I am. listening to my children singing. It is here
that the jackal keeps his school’
Then the baboon seized a stick, and poked it in the
cleft of the rock, exclaiming, ‘ Well, then, I should like to
see your children ! ’
The bees flew out in a huge swarm, and made furiously
for the panther, whom they attacked on all sides, while
the baboon soon climbed up out of the way, crying, as he
perched himself on the branch of a tree, ‘ I wish you joy
of your children ! ’ while from afar the jackal’s voice was
heard exclaiming : * Sting her well ! don’t let her go ! ’
The panther galloped away as if she was mad, and
flung herself into the nearest lake, but every time she
raised her head, the bees stung her afresh so at last the
poor beast was drowned altogether.
32i
THE LITTLE EABE^
A LONG, long way off, in a land where water is very
scarce, there lived a man and his wife and several
children. One day the wife said to her husband, ‘ I am
pining to have the liver of a nyo/McitscLne for my dinner.
If you love me as much as you say you do, you will go
out and hunt for a nyamatsanoy and will MU it and get its
liver. If not, I shaU know that your love is not worth
having.’
^Bake some bread,’ was aU her husband answered,
* then take the crust and put it in this little bag.’
The wife did as she was told, and when she had
finished she said to her husband, * The bag is aU ready
and quite fuU.’
‘ Very well,’ said he, ‘ and now good-bye ; I am going
after the nyamatsan^'
But the nyamatsane was not so easy to find as the
woman had hoped. The husband walked on and on and
on without ever seeing one, and every now and then he
felt so hungry that he was obliged to eat one of the crusts
of bread out of his bag. At last, when he was ready to
drop from fatigue, he found himself on the edge of a
great marsh, which bordered on one side the coimtry of
the nyamatsands. But there were no more nyamatsanS$
here than anywhere else. They had all gone on a hunt-
. ^ Contes poyulaires des Bassouios* Eecueillis et tradmts par R
Jacottet. Paris : Lerous, Editeur.
P
S
322
THE LITTLE BABE
ing expedition, as their larder was empty, and the only
person left at home was their grandmother, who was so
feeble she never went out of the house. Our friend
looked on this as a great piece of luck, and made haste
to kill her before the others returned, and to take out her
liver, after which he dressed himself in her skin as well
as he could. He had scarcely done this when he heard
the noise of the nyamafsanes coming back to their grand-
mother, for they were very fond of her, and never stayed
away from her longer than they could help. They rushed
clattering into the hut, exclaiming, ' We smell human
flesh ! Some man is here,’ and began to look about for
him; but they only saw their old grandmother, who
answered, in a trembling voice, ' No, my children, no !
What should any man be doing here ? ’ The nyamatsaiies
paid no attention to her, and began to open all the cup-
boards, and peep under all the beds, crying out all the
while, * A man is here ! a man is here I ’ but they could
find nobody, and at length, tired out with their long day’s
hunting, they curled themselves up and fell asleep.
Next morning they woke up quite refreshed, and
made ready to start on another expedition ; but as they
did not feel happy about their grandmother they said to
her, ' Grandmother, won’t you come to-day and feed
with us ? ’ And they led their grandmother outside, and
all of them began hungrily to eat pebbles. Our friend
pretended to do the same, but in reality he slipped the
stones int3> his pouch, and swallowed the crusts of bread
instead. However, as the nyamaMnis did not see this
they had no idea that he was not really their grand-
mother. When they had eaten a great many pebbles
they thought they had done enough for that day, and all
went home together and curled themselves up to sleep.
Next morning when they woke they said, ' Let us go and
amuse ourselves by jumping over the ditch,’ and every
time they cleared it with a bound. Then they begged
their grandmother to jump over it too, an^Nyith a tremen-
TEE LITTLE HABB
m
dous effort she managed to spring right over to the other
side. After this they had no doubt at all of its being
their true grandmother, and went off to their hunting,
leaving our friend at home in the hut.
As soon as they had gone out of sight our hero made
haste to take the liver from the place where he had hid
it, threw off the skin of the old nyamatsan^, and ran
away as hard as he could, only stopping to pick up a
very brilliant and polished little stone, which he put in
his bag by the side of the liver.
Towards evening the nyamatsanes came back to the
hut full of anxiety to know how their grandmother had
got on during their absence. The first thing they saw on
entering the door was her skin lying on the floor, and
then they knew that they had been deceived, and they
said to each other, ‘ So we were right, after all, and it
was human flesh we smelt.’ Then they stooped down to
find traces of the man’s footsteps, and when they had
got them instantly set out in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile our friend had journeyed many miles, and
was beginning to feel quite safe and comfortable, when,
happening to look round, he saw in the distance a thick
cloud of dust moving rapidly. His heart stood still
within him, and he said to himself, ‘ I am lost. It is the
nyamatsandSj and they will tear me in pieces,’ and
indeed the cloud of dust was drawing near with amaxing
quickness, and the nyamatsanes almost felt as if they
were already devouring him. Then as a last hope the
man took the little stone that he had picked up out of
his bag and flung it on the ground. The moment it
touched the soil it became a huge rock, whose steep
sides were smooth as glass, and on the top of it our hero
hastily seated himself. It was in vain that the nyamat-
sanis tried to climb up and reach him ; they slid down
again much faster than they had gone up ; and by sunset
they were quite worn out, and fell asleep at the foot of
the rock.
324
THE LITTLE BABE
No souiier had the nyamatsanes tumbled off to sleep
than the man stole softly down and fled away as fast as
his legs would carry him, and by the time his enemies were
awake he was a very long way off. They sprang quickly
to their feet and began to sniff the soil round the rock,
in order to discover traces of his footsteps, and they
galloped after him with terrific speed. The chase con-
tinued for several days and nights ; several times the
Ttyamatsands almost reached him, and each time he was
saved by his little pebble.
Between his fright and his hurry he was almost dead
of exhaustion when he reached his own village, where the
nyamatsanes could not follow him, because of their
enemies the dogs, which swarmed over all the roads. So
they returned home.
Then our friend staggered into his own hut and
called to his wife : ' Ichou ! how tired I am ! Quick,
give me something to drink. Then go and get fuel and
light a fire.’
So she did what she was bid, and then her husband
took the nymatsand's liver from his pouch and said to her,
‘ There, I have brought you what you wanted, and now
you know that I love you truly.’
And the wife answered, ' It is well. Now go and take
out the children, so that I may remain alone in the hut,’
and as she spoke she lifted down an old stone pot and
put on the liver to cook. Her husband watched her for a
moment, and then said, ‘ Be sure you eat it all yourself.
Do not give a scrap to any of the children, but eat every
morsel up/ So the woman took the liver and ate it all
herself.
Directly the last mouthful had disappeared she was
sei^ied with such violent thirst that she caught up a great
pot full of water and drank it at a single draught. Then,
having no more in the house, she ran in next door and
said, ‘Neighbour, give me, I pray you, something to
drink/ The neighbour gave her a large vessel quite full,
THE LITTLE BABE
325
and the woman drank it off at a single draught, and held
it out for more.
But the neighbour pushed her away, saying, ‘ Ko, I
shall have none left for my children/
So the woman went into another house, and drank all
the water she could find ; but the more she drank the
more thirsty she became. She wandered in this manner
through the wdrole village till she had drunlc every
water-pot dry. Then she rushed off to the nearest
spring and swaUowed that, and when she had finished all
the springs and wells about she drank up first the nver
and then a lake. But by this time she had drank so
mnch that she could not rise from the ground. _
In the evening, when it was time for the animals to
have their drink before going to bed, they found &e lato
Quite dry, and they had to make up their mmds to be
thirsty tiU the water flowed again and the streams we
full. Even then, for some time, the lake was very dirli^
326
THE LITTLE BABE
and the lion, as king of the beasts, commanded that no
one should drink till it was quite clear again.
But the little hare, who was fond of having his
own way, and was very thirsty besides, stole quietly off
w'hen all the rest were asleep in their dens, and crept
down to the margin of the lake and drank his fill. Then
he smeared the dirty water all over the rabbit’s face and
paws, so that it might look as if it were he who had been
disobeying Big Lion’s orders.
The next day, as soon as it was light, Big Lion
marched straight for the lake, and all the other beasts
followed him. He saw at once that the water had been
troubled again, and was very angry,
* Who has been drinking my water ? ’ said he ; and the
little hare gave a jump, and, pointing to the rabbit, he
answered, ‘ Look there 1 it must be he ! Why, there is
mud all over his face and paws ! *
The rabbit, frightened out of his wits, tried to deny the
fact, exclaiming, ‘ Oh, no, indeed I never did ; ’ but Big
Lion would not listen, and commanded them to cane
him with a birch rod.
Now the little hare was very much pleased with his
cleverness in causing the rabbit to be beaten instead of
himself, and went about boasting of it. At last one of
the other animals overheard him, and called out, * Little
hare, little hare 1 what is that you are saying ? ’
But the little hare hastily replied, ‘ I only asked you
to pass me my stick,'
An hour or two later, thinking that no one was near
him, he said to himself again, 'It was really I who
drank up the water, but I made them think it was the
rabbit.’
But one of the beasts whose ears were longer than the
rest caught the words, and went to tell Big Lion about
it. ‘ Do you hear what the little hare is saying ? '
So Big Lion sent for the little hare, and asked him
what he meant by talking like that.
TEE LITTLE EASE
327
The little hare saw that there was no use trying to
hide it, so he answered pertly, ‘ It was I who drank the
water, but I made them think it was the rabbit.’ Theu he
turned and ran as fast as he could, with all the other
beasts pursuing him.
They were almost up to him when he dashed into a
very narrow cleft in the rock, much too small for them
to follow ; but in his hurry he had left one of his long
ears sticking out, which they just managed to seize. But
pull as hard as they might they could not drag him out
of the hole, and at last they gave it up and left him,
with his ear vei’y much torn and scratched.
When the last tail was out of sight the little hare
crept cautiously out, and the first person he met was the
rabbit. He had plenty of impudence, so he put a bold
face on the matter, and said, ‘ Well, my good rabhit, you
see I have had a beating as well as you.
But the rabbit was still sore and sulky, and he did not
care to talk, so he answered, coldly, ‘ You have treated
me very badly. It was really you who drank that water,
and you accused me of having done it.’
‘ Oh, my good rabbit, never mind that ! I’ve got such
a wonderful secret to teU you ! Do you know what to
do so as to escape death ? ’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘ Well, we must begin by digging a hole.’ _
So they dug a hole, and then the little hare said, ‘ The
next thing is to make a fire in the hole,’ and they set to
work to collect wood, and lit quite a large fire.
When it was burning brightly the little hare said to
the rabbit, ‘ Babbit, my friend, throw me into the fire, md
when you hear my fur crackling, and I call “ Item, Item,
then be quick and pull me out.’
The rabbit did as he was told, and threw the httle hare
into the fire; but no sooner did the little hare begm to
feel the heat of the flames than he took so™
leaves he had plucked for the purpose and held them m
328
TEE LITTLE BABE
the middle of the fire, where they crackled and made a
gi-eat_ noise. Then he called loudly ‘Itchi tm f
Babbit, my friend, be quick, be quick ! Don’t you hi
now my skm is crackling ? ’ J-uu near
^^^And the rabbit came in a great hurry and pulled him
Then the little hare said, ‘ Now it is your turn ! ’ and
moment the rabbit
felt the flames he cried out ‘Itchi, Itchi, I am burning-
ptill me out quick, my friend ! ' ^ ’
But the httle hare only laughed, and said, ‘ No, you
may stay there ! It is youi- own fault. Why were tou
such a fool as to let yourself be thrown in? Didn’t you
Wthat fire burns?’ Andin a very few minutes notlfl^g
was left of the rabbit but a few bones. °
When the fire was quite out the little hare went and
picked up one of these bones, and made a flute out of it
and sang this song : ’
Pii, pii, 0 flute that I love,
P‘!’ ‘■‘‘hbita are but little boys.
Pii, pu, he would have burned mo if he could ;
Pu, pu, but I burned him, and he crackled linely.
tbs the little hare went back to his friends and enteed
^andfather, shall I show you a splendid way to kiU
‘ What is it? ’ asked Big Lion.
“• ” “
dovSihe httlf b
Stad- ’'P and
Pu, pu, all you animals come and see,
Big Lion is dead, and now peace will be*
httle hare received them and said, ‘ Pass on, tWs way
TEE LITTLE EASE
329
to the lion.’ So they all entered into the Animal King-
dom. Last of all came the monkey with her baby on
her back. She approached the ditch, and took a blade
of grass and tickled Big Lion’s nose, and his nostrils
moved in spite of his efforts to keep them still. Then
the monkey cried, ‘ Come, my baby, climb on my bacl|
and let ns go. What sort of a dead body is it that can
still feel when it is tickled ? ’ And she and her baby went
away in a fright. Then the little hare said to the other
beasts, *Now, shut the gate of the Animal Kingdom.*
And it was shut, and great stones w^ere rolled against it.
When everything was tight closed the little hare turned
to Big Lion and said ‘ Now ! ’ and Big Lion bounded out
of the ditch and tore the other animals in pieces.
But Big Lion kept all the choice bits for himself, and
only gave away the little scraps that he did not care about
eating ; and the little hare grew very angry, and deter-
mined to have his revenge. He had long ago found oiU
S30
THE LITTLE HARE
that Big Lion was very easily taken in ; so he laid his plans
accordingly. lie said to him, as if the idea had just
come into his head, ‘ Grandfather, let us build a hut,’ and
Big Lion consented. And when they had driven the
stakes into the ground, and had made the walls of the
hut, the little hare told Big Lion to climb upon the top
while he stayed inside. When he was ready he called
out, ‘ Now, grandfather, begin,’ and Big Lion passed his
rod through the reeds with wdiich the roofs are always
covered in that country. The little hare took it and cried,
* Now it is my turn to pierce them,’ and as he spoke he _
passed the rod back through the reeds and gave Big
Lion’s tail a sharp poke.
‘ What is pricking me so ? ’ asked Big Lion,
‘ Oh, Just a little branch sticking out. I am going to
break it,’ answered the little hare ; but of course he had
done it on purpose, as he wanted to fix Big Lion’s tail so
firmly to the hut that ho would not be able to move. In
a little while he gave another prick, and Big Lion called
again, ' What is pricking me so ? ’
This time the little hare said to himself, * He will find
out wha+> I am at. I must try some other plan.’ So he
called out, ‘ Grandfather, you had better put your tongue
here, so that the branches shall not touch you.’ Big
Lion did as he was bid, and the little hare tied it tightly
to the stakes of the wall. Then he went outside and
shouted, * Grandfather, you can come down now,* and
Big Lion tried, but he could not move an inch.
Then the little hare began quietly to eat Big Lion’s
dinner right before his eyes, and paying no attention at
all to his growls of rage. When he had quite done he
climbed up on the hut, and, blowing his flute, he chanted
* Bii, pii, fall rain and hail,’ and directly the sky was full
of clouds, the thunder roared, and huge hailstones
whitened the roof of the hut. The little hare, who had
taken refuge within, called out again, * Big Lion, be
quick and come down and dine with me.’ But there was
TEE LITTLE BABE 331
no answer, not even a growl, for the hailstones had killed
Big Lion.
The little hare enjoyed himself vastly for some time,
living comfortably in the hut, with plenty of food to eat
and no trouble at all in getting it. But one day a great
wind arose, and flung down the Big Lion’s half-dried
skin from the roof of the hut. The little hare bounded
with terror at the noise, for he thought Big Lion must have
come to life again ; but on discovering what had happened
he set about cleaning the skin, and propped the mouth
open with sticks so that he could get through. So, dressed
in Big Lion’s skin, the little hare started on his travels.
The first visit he paid was to the hyaenas, who trem-
bled at the sight of him, and whispered to each other,
‘ How shall we escape from this terrible beast ? ’ Mean-
while the little hare did not trouble himself about them,
but just asked where the king of the hyaenas lived, and
made himself quite at home there. Every morning each
hyaena thought to himself, ‘ To-day he is certain to eat
me ; ’ but several days went by, and they were all still
alive. At length, one evening, the little hare, looking
round for something to amuse him, noticed a great pot
full of boiling water, so he strolled up to one of the
hyaenas and said, ‘ Go and get in.’ The hyaena dared not
disobey, and in a few minutes was scalded to death.
Then the little hare went the round of the village, saying
to every hyaena he met, ‘ Go and get into the boiling water/
so that in a little while there was hardly a male left in
the village.
One day aU the hyaenas that remained alive went out
very early into the fields, leaving only one little daughter
at home. The little hare, thinking he was all alone, came
into the enclosure, and, wishing to feel what it was like
to be a hare again, threw off Big Lion’s skin, and
began to jump and dance, singing—
I am just tbe little hare, the little hare, the little hare;
I am just the little hare who killed the great hyaenas.
332
TBE LITTLE HARE
The little hyiBna gazed at him in surprise, saying to
herself, * What 1 was it really this tiny beast who put to
death all our best people ? ’ when suddenly a gust of wind
rustled the reeds that surrounded the enclosure, and the
little hare, in a fright, hastil}^ sprang back hito Big Lion’s
skin.
When the hyoenas returned to their homes the little
hyaena said to her father : ' Father, our tribe has very
nearly been swept away, and all this has been the work
of a tiny creature dressed in the lion’s skin.’
But her father answered, ‘ Oh, my dear child, you
don’t know what you are talking about.’
She replied, ‘Yes, father, it is quite true. I saw it
with my own eyes.’
The father did not know what to think, and told one
of his friends, who said, ‘ To-morrow we had better keep
watch ourselves.’
And the next day they hid themselves and waited till
the little hare came out of the royal hut. He walked
gaily towards the enclosure, threw off Big Lion’s skin,
and sang and danced as before —
I am just the little hare, the little hare, the little hare,
I am just the little hare, who killed the great hysenas.
That night the two hyaenas told all the rest, saying,
‘ Do you know that we have allowed ourselves to be
trampled on by a wretched creature with nothing of the
lion about him but his skin ? ’
When supper was being cooked that evening, before
they all went to bed, the little hare, looking fierce and
terrible in Big Lion’s skin, said as usual to one of the
hyaenas, ‘ Go and get into the boiling water.’ But the
hyaena never stirred. There was silence for a moment J
then a hyaena took a stone, and flung it with all his force
against the lion’s skin. The little hare jumped out
through the mouth with a single spring, and fled away like
lightning, all the hyaenas in full pursuit uttering great
THE LITTLE HABE
333
cries. As he turned a corner the little hare cut off both
his ears, so that they should not know him, and pretended
to be working at a grindstone which lay there.
The hyaenas soon came up to him and said, ‘Tell
me, friend, have you seen the little hare go by?
‘No, I have seen no one.'
‘ Where can he be ? ' said the hyenas one to another.
< Of course, this creature is quite different, and not at all
like the little hare.’ Then they went on their way, but,
finding no traces of the little hare, they returned sadly to
their village, saying, ‘ To think we should have allowed
ourselves to be swept away by a wretched creature like
that ! ’
THE SP ARROW WITH TEE SLIT TONGUE^
A LONG long time ago, an old couple dwelt in the very
heart of a high mountain. They lived together in peace
and harmony, although they were very different in
character, the man being good-natured and honest, and
the wife being greedy and quarrelsome when anyone
came her way that she could possibly quarrel with.
One day the old man was sitting in front of his
cottage, as ho was very fond of doing, when he saw
flying towards him a little sparrow, followed by a big
black raven. The poor little thing was very much
frightened and cried out as it flew, and the great bird
came behind it terribly fast, flapping its wings and
craning its beak, for it was hungry and wanted some
dinner. But as they drew near the old man, he jumped
up, and beat back the raven, which mounted, with hoarse
screams of disappointment, into the sky, and the little
bird, freed from its enemy, nestled into the old man's hand,
and he carried it into the house. He stroked its feathers,
and told it not to be afraid, for it was quite safe ; but as he
still felt its heart beating, he put it into a cage, whore it
soon plucked up courage to twitter and hop about. The
old man was fond of all creatures, and every morning he
used to open the cage door, and the sparrow flew happily
about until it caught sight of a cat or a rat or some other
fierce beast, when it would instantly return to the cage,
knowing that there no harm could come to it.
The woman, who was always on the look-out for
something to grumble at, grew very jealous of her
‘ From the Japanische MQ/rchen und
TEE SPABEOW WITH SLIT TONGUE 335
husband’s affection for the bird, and would gladly have
done it some harm had she dared. At last, one morning
her opportunity came. Her husband had gone to the
town some miles away down the mountain, and would
not be back for several hours, but before he left he did
not forget to open the door of the cage. The sparrow
hopped about as usual, twittering happily, and thinking
no evil, and all the while the woman’s brow became
blacker and blacker, and at length her fury broke out.
She threw her broom at the bird, who was perched on a
bracket high up on the wall. The broom missed the
bird, but knocked down and broke the vase on the
bracket, which did not soothe the angry woman. Then
she chased it from place to place, and at last had it safe
between her fingers, almost as frightened as on the day
that it had made its first entrance into the hut.
By this time the woman was more furious than ever.
If she had dared, she would have killed the sparrow
then and there, but as it was she only ventured to slit its
tongue . The bird struggled and piped, but there was no one
to hear it, and then, crying out loud with the pain, it flew
from the house and was lost in the depths of the forest.
By-and-bye the old man came back, and at once began
to ask for his pet. His wife, who was still in a very bad
temper, told him the whole story, and scolded him
roundly for being so silly as to make such a fuss over a
bird. But the old man, who was much troubled, declared
she was a bad, hard-hearted woman, to have behaved so
to a poor harmless bird; then he left the house, and
went into the forest to seek for his pet. He walked
many hours, whistling and calling for it, but it never
came, and he went sadly home, resolved to be out with
the dawn and never to rest till he had brought the
wanderer back. Day after day he searched and called ;
and evening after evening he returned in despair. At
length he gave up hope, and made up his mind that he
should see his little friend no more.
336 TEE SPABBOW WITH SLIT TONGUE
Om hot summer morning, the old man was walking
slowly under the cool shadows of the big trees, and
without thinking where he was going, ho entered a
bamboo thicket. As the bamboos became thinner, lie
found himself opposite to a beautiful garden, in the
centre of which stood a tiny spick-and-span little house,
and out of the house came a lovely maiden, who un-
latched the gate and invited him in the most hospitable
way to enter and rest. *Oh, my dear old friend,’ she
exclaimed, ‘ how glad I am you have found me at last !
I am your little sparrow, whose life you saved, and whom
you took such care of.’
The old man seized her hands eagerly, but no time
was given him to ask any questions, for the maiden drew
him into the house, and set food before him, and waited
on him herself.
While ho was eating, the damsel and her maids took
their lutes, and sang and danced to him, and altogether
the hours passed so swiftly that the old man never saw
that darkness had come, or remembered the scolding he
would get from his wife for returning home so late.
Thus, in dancing and singing, and talking over the
days when the maiden was a sparrow hopping in and out
of her cage, the night passed away, and when the first
rays of sun broke through the hedge of bamboo, the old
man started up, thanked his hostess for her friendly
welcome, and prepared 1}o say farewell. ‘I am not
going to let you depart like that,’ said she ; ‘I have a
present for you, which you must take as a sign of my
gratitude.’ And as she spoke, her servants brought in
two chests, one of them very small, the other large and
heavy. * Now choose which of them you will carry with
you.’ So the old man chose the small chest, and hid it
imder his cloak, and set out on his homeward way.
But as he drew near the house his heart sank a little,
for he knew what a fury his wife would be in, and how
she would abuse hiui for his absence. And it was even
THE SPABBOW WITH SLIT TONGUE 337
worse than he expected* However, long experience had
taught him to let her storm and say nothing, so he lit his
pipe and waited till she was tired out. The woman was
still raging, and did not seem likely to stop, when her
husband, who by this time had forgotten all about her,
drew out the chest from under his cloak, and opened it.
Oh, what a blaze met his eyes 1 gold and precious stones
were heaped up to the very lid, and lay dancing in he
sunlight. At the sight of these wonders even the
scolding tongue ceased, and the woman approached, and
took the stones in her hand, setting greedily aside those
that were the largest and most costly. Then her voice
softened, and she begged him quite politely to tell her
where he had spent his evening, and how he had come
by these wonderful riches. So he told her the whole
story, and she listened with amazement, till he came to
the choice which had been given him between the two
chests. At this her tongue broke loose again, as she
abused him for his folly in taking the little one, and she
never rested till her husband had described the exact way
which led to the sparrow-princess’s house. When she had
got it into her head, she put on her best clothes and set
out at once. But in her blind haste she often missed the
path, and she wandered for several hours before she at
length reached the little house. She walked boldly up to
the door and entered the room as if the whole place
belonged to her, and quite frightened the poor girl, who
was startled at the sight of her old enemy. However,
she concealed her feelings as well as she could, and bade
the intruder welcome, placing before her food and wine,
hoping that when she had eaten and drunk she might
take her leave. But nothing of the sort.
^ You will not let me go without a little present ? ’ said
the greedy wife, as she saw no signs of one being offered
her. * Of course not,' replied the girl, and at her orders
two chests were brought in, as they had been before. The
old woman instantly seized the bigger, and staggering
338 THE SPABBOW WITH SLIT TONGUE
under the weight of it, disappeared into the forest, hardly
waiting even to say good-bye.
It was a long way to her own house, and the chest
seemed to grow heavier at every stop. Sometimes she
felt as if it would be impossible for her to get on at all,
but her greed gave her strength, and at last she arrived
at her own door. She sank down on the threshold, over-
come with weariness, but in a moment was on hoi feet
again, fumbling with the lock of the chest. Bui by this
time night had come, and there was no light in the house,
and the woman was in too much hurry to get to her
treasures, to go and look for one. At length, however, the
lock gave way, and the lid flew open, when, 0 horror !
instead of gold and jewels, she saw before her serpents
with glittering eyes and forky tongues. And they twined
themselves about her and darted poison into her veins,
and she died, and no man regretted her.
TEE STORY OF CICCU ^
Once upon a time there lived a man who had three
sons. The eldest was called Peppe, the second Alfin, and
the youngest Ciccu. They were all very poor, and at
last things got so bad that they really had not enough to
eat. So the father called his sons, and said to them,
‘ My dear boys, I am too old to work any more, and there
is nothing left for me but to beg in the streets.'
* No, no ! ' exclaimed his sons ; ‘ that you shall never
do. Eather, if it must bo, would we do it ourselves.
But we have thought of a better plan than that.’
' What is it ? ’ asked the father.
' Well, we will take you in the forest, where you shall
cut wood, and then we will bind it up in bundles and sell
it in the town.’ So their father let them do as they said,
and they all made their way into the forest ; and as the
old man was weak from lack of food his sons took it in
turns to carry him on their backs. Then they built a
little hut where they might take shelter, and set to work.
Every morning early the father cut his sticks, and the
sons bound them in bundles, and carried them to the
town, bringing back the food the old man so much
needed.
Some months passed in this way, and then the father
suddenly fell ill, and knew that the time had come when
he must die. He bade his sons fetch a lawyer, so that
he might make his will, and when the man arrived he
explained his wishes.
* From SiciUanische M^hrchen*
340
THE STOMY OF GICGU
‘I have,' said ho, Sa little house in the village, and
over it grows a lig-tree. The house I leave to my sons,
who are to live in it together; the fig-tree I divide as
follows. To niy sou Tepp^ I leave the branches. To my
son Alfin I leave tlie trunk. To my son CIccu I leave the
fruit. Besides the house and tree, 1 have an old coverlet,
which I leave to my eldest son. And an old purse, which
I leave to my second sou. And a horn, which I leave to
my youngest son. And now farewell’
Thus speaking, he laid himself down, and died quietly.
The brothers wept bitterly for their father, whom they
loved, and when they had buried him they began to talk
over their future lives. ‘ What shall we do now ? ’ said
they, 'Shall wo live iii tlic wood, or go back to the
village?’ And they made up their nnntls to stay wliere
they were and continue to earn their living by soiling
firewood.
One very hot evening, after they had boon working
hard all day, they fell asleep under a tree iii front of the
hut. And as they slept there came by three fairies, who
stopped to look at them.
' What fine follows ! ’ said one. ‘ Lot us give them a
present.'
' Yes, what shall it bo ? ’ asked another.
' This youth has a coverlet over him,’ said the first
fairy. ' When he wraps it round him, and wishes himself
in any place, he will find himself there in an instant.’
Then said the second fairy : ' This youth has a purse
in his hand. I will promise that it shall always give him
as much gold as he asks for.’
Last canae the turn of the third fairy. ‘ This one has
a horn slung round him. When ho blows at the small
end the seas shall be covered with ships. And if he blows
at the wide end they shall all bo sunk in the waves.’ So
they vanished, without knowing that Giccu had been
awake and heard all they said.
The next day, when they were all cutting wood, he
342
THE ST0E7 OF CICCU
said to liis brothers, ‘ That old coverlet and the purse are
no use to you ; I wish you would give them to me. I
have a fancy for them, for the sake of old times.’ Now
Peppe aud Alfm were very fond of Ciccu, and never
refused him anything, so they let him have the coverlet
aird the purse without a word. When he had got them
safely Ciccu went on, ‘ Dear brothers, I am tired of the
forest. I want to live in the town, and work at some
trade.’
‘ 0 Ciccu ! stay with us,’ they cried. ‘We are very
happy here ; and who knows how we shall get on else-
where?’
‘ We can always try,’ answ'ered Ciccu ; ‘ and if times are
bad we can come back here and take up wood-cutting.'
So saying he picked up his bundle of sticks, and his
brothers did the same.
But when they reached the town they found that the
market was overstocked with firewood, and they did not
sell enough to buy themselves a dinner, far less to get
any food to carry home. They were wondering sadly
what they should do when Ciccu said, ‘ Come with me to
the inn and let us have something to eat.’ They were
so hungry by this time that they did not care much
whether they paid for it or not, so they followed Ciccu,
who gave his orders to the host. ' Bring us three dishes,
the nicest that you have, and a good bottle of wine.’
‘ Ciccu! Ciccu 1 ’ whispered his brothers, horrified at
this extravagance, ‘ are you mad ? How do you ever
mean to pay for it ? ’
‘ Let me alone,’ replied Ciccu ; ‘ I know what I am
about.’ And when they had finished their dinner Ciccu
told the others to go on, and he would wait to pay the biU.
The brothers hurried on, without needing to be told
twice, ‘ for,’ thought they, ‘ he has no money, and of course
- there will be a row.’
When they were out of sight Ciccu asked the landlord
how much he owed, and then said to his purse, ‘ Dear
THE STOBY OF CICCU
343
purse, give me, I pray you, six florins,’ and instantly six
florins were in the purse. Then he paid the bill and
joined his brothers.
‘ How did you manage ? ’ they asked.
* Never you mind,’ answered he. ' I have paid every
penny,’ and no more would he say. But the other two
were very uneasy, for they felt sure something must be
wrong, and the sooner they parted company with Ciccu
the better. Ciccu understood what tliey were thinking,
and, drawing forty gold pieces from his pocket, he held out
twenty to each, saying, ‘ Take these and turn tlunn to good
account. I am going away to seek my own fortune.’ Tlien
he embraced them, and struck down another road.
He wandered on for many days, till at length he came
to the town where the king had his court. The first
thing Ciccu did was to order himself some fine clothes,
and then buy a grand house, just opposite the palace.
Next he locked his door, and ordered a shower of gold
to cover the staircase, and wiien this was done, the door
was flung wide open, and everyone came and peeped at
the shining golden stairs. Lastly the rumour of. these
wonders reached the ears of the king, who left his palace
to behold these splendours with his own eyes. And Ciccu
received him with all respect, and showed him over the
house.
When the king went home ho told such stories of
what he had seen that his wife and daughter declared
that they must go and see them too. So the king sent to
ask Ciccu’s leave, and Ciccu answered that if the queen
and the princess would be pleased to do him such great
honour he would show them anything they wished.
Now the princess was as beautiful as the sun, and when
Ciccu looked upon her his heart went out to her, and he
longed to have her to wife. The princess saw what was
passing in his mind, and how she could make use of iAto
satisfy her curiosity as to the golden stairs; so she
praised him and fliattered him, and put cunning questions,
344
THE ST0B7 OF CICGU
till at length Ciccu's head was quite turned, and he told
her the whole story of the fairies and their gifts. Then
she begged him to lend her the purse for a few days, so
that she could have one made like it, and so great was
the love he had for her that he gave it to her at once.
The pi'incess returned to the palace, taking with her
the purse, which she had not the smallest intention of
ever restoring to Giccu. Very soon Ciccu liad spent all
the money he had by him, and could get no more without
the help of his purse. Of course, he went at once to the
king’s daughter, and asked her if she had done with it,
but she put him off with some excuse, and told him to
come back next day. The next day it was the same
thing, and the next, till a great rage filled Ciccu’s heart
instead of the love that had been there. And when night
came he took in his hand a thick stick, wrapped himself
in the coverlet, and wished himself in the chamber of the
princess. The princess was asleep, but Ciccu seized her
arm and pulled her out of bed, and beat her till she gave
back the purse. Then he took up the coverlet, and
wished he was safe in his own house.
No sooner had he gone than the princess hastened to
her father and complained of her sufferings. Then the
king rose up in a fury, and commanded Ciccu to be
brought before him. ‘ You richly deserve death,’ said he,
‘ but I will allow you to live if you will instantly hand
over to me the coverlet, the purse, and the horn/
What could Ciccu do ? Life was sweet, and he was
in the power of the king ; so he gave up silently his ill-
gotten goods, and was as poor as when he was a boy.
While he was wondering how ho was to live it
suddenly came into his mind that this was the season
for the figs to ripen, and he said to himself, ‘ I will go
and see if the tree has borne well/ So he set off home,
where his brothers still lived, and found them living very
uncomfortably, for they had spent all their money, and
did not know how to make any more. However, he was
THE STOBY OF CICGU 345
pleased to see that the fig^ree looked in splendid condi-
tion, and was full of fruit. He ran and fetched a basket
and was just feeling the figs, to make sure which of them
were ripe, when his brother Peppe called to him, ‘ Stop I
The figs of course are yours, but the branches they grow
on are mine, and I forbid you to touch them.’
Ciccu did not answer, but set a ladder against the tree,
so that he could reach the topmost branches, and had his
foot already on the first rung when he heard the voice of
his brother Alfin : ‘ Stop 1 the trunk belongs to me, and I
forbid you to touch it I ’
Then they began to quarrel violently, and there seemed
no chance that they would ever cease, till one of them said,
' Let us go before a judge.’ The others agreed, and when
they had found a man whom they could trust Ciccu told
him the whole story,
' This is my verdict,’ said the judge. ‘ The figs in
truth belong to you, but you cannot pluck them without
touching both the trunk and the branches. Therefore you
must give your first basketful to your brother Peppe, as
the price of his leave to put your ladder against the tree ;
and the second basketful to your brother Alfin, for leave
to shake his boughs. The rest you can keep for yourself.’
And the brothers were contented, and returned home,
saying one to the other, ‘ We will each of us send a
basket of figs to the king. Perhaps he will give us
something in return, and if he does we will divide
it faithfully between us.’ So the best figs were carefully
packed in a basket, and Peppe set out with it to the castle.
On the road he met a little old man who stopped and
said to him, ' What have you got there, my fine fellow? ’
' What is that to you ? ’ was the answer ; ‘ mind your
own business.’ But the old man only repeated his
question, and Peppe, to get rid of him, exclaimed in
anger, ' Dirt.’
‘ Good,’ replied the old man ; ' dirt you have said, and
dirt let it be.’
346
THE STOBY OF GICCU
?eppe only tossed his head and went on his way
till he got to the castle, where he knocked at the
door. ' I have a basket of lovely figs for the king/ he
said to the servant who opened it, ‘ if his majesty
will be graciously pleased to accept them with my
humble duty.’
The king loved figs, and ordered Peppe to be admitted
to his presence, and a silver dish to be brought on
which to put the figs. When Peppe uncovered his
basket sure enough a layer of beautiful purple figs
met the king’s eyes, but underneath there was nothing
but dirt. ‘ How dare you play me such a trick ? '
shrieked the king in a rage. ‘ Take him away, and give
him fifty lashes.’ This was done, and Peppe returned
home, sore and angry, but determined to say nothing
about his adventure. And when his brothers asked him
what had happened he only answered, ‘ When we have
all three been I will tell you.’
A few days after this more figs were ready for
plucking, and Alfin in his turn set out for the palace.
He had not gone far down the road before he met the old
man, who asked him what he had in his basket.
* Horns, ^ answered Alfin, shortly.
‘ Good,’ replied the old man ; ' horns you have said,
and horns let it be.’
When Alfin reached the castle he knocked at the
door and said to the servant : * Here is a basket of lovely
figs, if his majesty will be good enough to accept them
with my humble duty.’
The king commanded that Alfin should be admitted
to his presence, and a silver dish to be brought on which
to lay the figs. When the basket was uncovered some
beautiful purple figs lay on the top, but underneath there
was nothing but horns. Then the king was beside
himself with passion, and screamed out, * Is this a plot to
mock me ? Take him away, and give him a hundred and
fifty lashes ! ’ So Alfin went sadly home, but would not
TEE STonr OF crcci^
tell anything about hia adveiniires, only saviiu; yriiiJ*.
‘ Now it is Ciccu’s turn.'
Ciccu had to wait a little before he d l.s j
figs on the tree, and those wore not nearly >:ii r. h a ,
first set. However, ho plucked them, as they h.i 1 , .j,
and set out for the kiiig’.s palace. The elii man v, , . ,'.!I
on the road, and he came up ami said to I'iee*;. • h.vi
have you got in that bask(>t '
‘ Kgs for the king,’ answered he.
‘ Let me have a peep,' mui Ciiam lifte.l the hd • ( th,
do give me one, 1 am so foiulof ligs,' begm-d tit.' h-'!. m e.
‘I am afraid if 1 do tliaf tiie hoi.' will ..h..v., i.ph.-l
Ciccu, but as ho was very gotui-nalured li.- ma. ht.u
Theoldmau ate it greedily ami kept the '.talk in hf, li.o. 1,
and then asked for another and atmther ;mfi ;u'ie),,-i tdl I,,-
had eaten half the basketful. ‘ Ihit theie m,- nut r-.su..,,'b
left to take to tlus king,' nuiriimred t'ieeti.
‘Don’t be anxious,' said the ftld m:ui, ilir.mmg sl„.
stalks back into the basket; ‘just go on and e.urt ilm
basket to the castle, and it will Iwing ynn hmk.'
Ciceu did not much like it ; funveVer. he w.'ot m hit
way, and with a tnunhliug heart rang the ea ,!!,. }^,!i
Here are some lovely iig« f«r the king.’ said he. • >1 1 >h
majesty will graciously accept them witit m v imml.le di.H /
When the king wan told that there was anoih,.r nim
with a basket of figs he cried out, ‘ Oh. have j.im m,
m ‘ ’ «*>«’«
A 1 ^ I”’” rijM. fig,*
And the king wan delighted, and emjHi.'tl then. hi,n«,.lf
on the silver dish, and gave five fiminH u. rmeii. «.»!
offered besides to take him into his wrvie.-. (‘ireu
3 must first return hom»
and give the five florins to his brothers.
When he got home Pepixi sjwke; ‘Now w.* wdl
lx? ^
‘And I a hundred and fifty.' added Alfin.
348
THE STORY OF CICCU
' And I five florins and some sweets, which you can
divide between you, for the king has taken me into his
service.’ Then Oiccu went back to the Court and served
the king, and the king loved him.
The other two brothers heard that Ciccu had become
quite an important person, and they grew envious, and
thought how they could put him to shame. At last they
came to the king and said to him, * 0 king ! your palace
is beautiful indeed, but to be worthy of you it lacks one
thing — the sword of the Man-eater/
‘ How can I get it ? ’ asked the king.
‘ Oh, Ciccu can get it for you ; ask him.’
So the king sent for Ciccu and said to him, ' Ciccu,
you must at any price manage to get the sword of the
Man-eater.’
Ciccu wtiB very much surprised at this sudden
command, and he walked thoughtfully away to the stables
and began to stroke his favourite horse, saying to him-
self, ‘ Ah, my pet, we must bid each other good-bye, for
the king has sent me away to got the sword of the Man-
eater.’ Now this horse was not like other horses, for it
was a talking horse, and knew a great deal about many
things, so it answered, ‘ Fear nothing, and do as I tell
you. Beg the king to give you fifty gold pieces and leave
to ride me, and the rest will be easy.’ Oiccu believed
what the horse said, and prayed the king to grant him
what he asked. Then the two friends set out, but the
horse chose what roads he pleased, and directed Ciccu in
everything.
It took them many days’ hard riding before they
reached the country where the Man-eater lived, and then
the horse told Ciccu to stop a group of old women who
were coming chattering through the wood, and offer them
each a shilling if they would collect a number of
mosquitos and tie them up in a bag. When the bag was
lull Ciccu put it on his shoulder and stole into the house
of the Man-eater (who had gone to look for his dinner)
THE STOBY OF GIGGU
349
and let them all out in his bedroom. He himself hid
carefully under the bed and waited. The Man-eater
came in late, very tired with his long walk, and flung
himself on the bed, placing his sword with its shining
blade by his side. Scarcely had he lain down than the
mosquitos began to buzz about and bite him, and he
rolled from side to side trying to catch them, which he
never could do, though they always seemed to be close
to his nose. He was so busy over the mosquitos that he
did not hear Ciccu steal softly out, or see him catch up
the sword. But the horse heard and stood ready at the
door, and as Ciccu came flying down the stairs and jumped
on his back he sped away like the wind, and never stopped
till they arrived at the king’s palace.
The king had suffered much pain in his absence,
thinking that if the Man-eater ate Ciccu, it would be all
his fault. And he was so overjoyed to have him safe
that he almost forgot the sword which he had sent him to
bring. But the two brothers did not love Ciccu any
better because he had succeeded when they hoped he
would have failed, and one day they spoke to the king.
‘ It is all very well for Ciccu to have got possession of
the sword, but it would have been far more to your
majesty’s honour if he had captured the Man-eater
himself.’ The king thought upon these words, and at
last he said to Ciccu, ‘ Ciccu, I shall never rest until you
bring me back the Man-eater himself. You may have
any help you like, but somehow or other you must
manage to do it.’ Ciccu felt very much Qast down at
these words, and went to the stable to ask advice of his
friend the horse. 'Fear nothing,’ said the horse; ^^just
say you want me and fifty pieces of gold. Ciccu did as
he was bid, and the two set out together.
When they reached the country of the Man-eato,
Ciccu made all the church beUs toll and a proclamation
to be made. ‘ Ciccu, the servant of the king, is de^
The Man-eater soon heard what everyone was sayin&
350
THE STORY OF GICGU
and was glad in his heart, for he thought, ‘ Well, it is
good news that the thief who stole my sw’^ord is
dead.’ But Ciccu bought an axe and a saw, and cut
down a pine tree in the nearest wood, and began to hew
it into planks.
‘ What are you doing in my wood? ’ asked the Man-
eater, coming up.
' Noble lord,’ answered Ciccu, ' I am making a coffin
for the body of Ciccu, who is dead.’
^ Don’t be in a hurry,’ answered the Man-eater, who
of course did not know whom he was talking to, ‘and
perhaps I can help you ; ’ and they set to w’-ork sawing
and fitting, and very soon the coffin was finished.
Then Ciccu scratched his ear thoughtfully, and cried,
‘ Idiot that I am ! I never took any measures. How am
I to know if it is big enough ? But now I come to think
of it, Ciccu was about your sim. I wonder if you w^ould
be so good as just to put yourself in the coflin, and see if
there is enough room.’
‘ Oh, delighted ! ’ said the Man-eater, and laid himself
at full length in the coffin. Ciccu clapped on the lid, put
a strong cord round it, tied it fast on his horse, and rode
back to the king. And when the king saw that ho really
had brought back the Man-oator, ho commanded a huge
iron chest to be brought, and locked the coffin up inside.
Just about this time the queen died, and soon after
the king thought he should like to marry again. He
sought everywhere, but he could not hear of any princess
that took his fancy. Then the two envious brothers
came to him and said, * 0 king ! there is but one woman
that is worthy of being your wife, and that is she who is
the fairest in the whole world.’
‘ But where can I find her ? ’ asked the king.
‘ Oh, Ciccu will know, and he will bring her to you/
Now the king had got so used to depending on Ciccu,
that he really believed he could do everything. So he
sent for him and said, ‘ Ciccu, unless within eight days
THE STOBY OF GIGCU 35I
you bring me the fairest in the whole world, I will have
you hewn into a thousand pieces/ This mission seemed
to Ciccu a hundred times worse than either of the others,
and with tears in his eyes he took his way to the stables!
‘Cheer up,’ laughed the horse; ‘tell the king you
must have some bread and honey, and a purse of gold,
and leave the rest to me/
Ciccu did as he was bid, and they started at a gallop.
After they had ridden some way, they saw a swarm of
bees lying on the ground, so hungry and weak that they
were unable to fly. ‘ Get down, and give the poor things
some honey,’ said the horse, and Ciccu dismounted. By-
and-bye they came to a stream, on the bank of which was
a fish, flapping feebly about in its efforts to reach the
water. ‘ Jump down, and throw the fish into the water ;
he will be useful to us,’ and Ciccu did so. Farther along
the hillside they saw an eagle whose leg was caught in a
snare. ‘ Go and free that eagle from the snare ; he will
be useful to us ; ’ and in a moment the eagle was soaring
up into the sky.
At length they came to the castle where the fairest in
the world lived with her parents. Then said the horse,
‘ You must get down and sit upon that stone, for I must
enter the castle alone. Directly you see me come
tearing by with the princess on my back, jump up
behind, and hold her tight, so that she does not escape
you. If you fail to do this, we are both lost.’ Ciccu
seated himself on the stone, and the horse went on to the
courtyard of the castle, where he began to trot round in
a graceful and elegant manner. Soon a crowd collected
first to watch him and then to pat him, and the king and
queen and princess came with the rest. The eyes of the
fairest in the world brightened as she looked, and she
sprang on the horse’s saddle, crying, ‘ Oh, I really must
ride him a little ! ’ But the horse made one bound
forward, and the princess was forced to hold fight by hfe
mane, lest she should fall off. And as they dashed
352
THE STOBY OF GICGU
the stone where Ciccu was waiting for them, he swung
himself up and held her round the waist. As he put his
arms round her waist, the fairest in the world unwound
the veil from her head and cast it to the ground, and then
she drew a ring from her finger and flung it into the
stream. But she said nothing, and they rode on fast, fast.
The king of Ciccu’s country was watching for them
from the top of a tower, and w^hen he saw in the distance
a cloud of dust, he ran down to the steps so as to be
ready to receive them. Bowing low before the fairest in
the world, he spoke : ' Noble lady, will you do me the
honour to become my wife ? ’
But she answered, ‘ Th^t can only bo when Ciccu
brings me the veil that I let fall on my way hero.’
And the king turned to Ciccu and said, ' Ciccu, if
you do not find the veil at once, you shall lose your head.’
Ciccu, who by this time had hoped for a little peace,
felt his heart sink at this fresh errand, and he went into
the stable to complain to the faithful horse.
' It will be all right,’ answered the horse when he had
heard his tale ; ‘ just take enough food for the day for
both of us, and then get on my back.’
They rode back all the way they had come till they
reached the place where they had found the eagle caught
in the snare ; then the horse bade Ciccu to call three
times on the king of the birds, and when he replied, to beg
him to fetch the veil which the fairest in the world had
let fall,
‘Wait a moment,’ answered a voice that seemed to
come from somewhere very high up indeed. * An eagle
is playing with it just now, but ho will bo here with it in
an instant ; ’ and a few minutes after there was a sound
of wings, and an eagle came fluttering towards them with
the veil in his beak. And Ciccu saw it was the very same
eagle that he had freed from the snare, So he took the
veil and rode back to the king.
Now the king was enchanted to see him so soon, and
■ciccv orr -THE • r/riKEST- ONE •
354 :
THE STORY OF CICCU
took tlie veil from Ciccu and dung it over the princess,
crying, ‘ Hero is the veil you asked for, so I claim you for
my wife.’
‘Not so fast,’ answered she. ‘I can never be your
wife till Ciccu puts on my finger the ring I threw into the
stream. Ciccu, who was standing by expecting something
of the sort, bowed his head when he heard her words, and
went straight to the horse.
‘ Mount at once,’ said the horse ; ‘ this time it is very
simple,’ and he carried Ciccu to the banks of the little
stream. ‘Now, call three times on the emperor of the
fishes, and beg him to I’estore you the ring that the
princess dropped.
Ciccu did as the horse told him, and a voice was
heard in answ^er that seemed to come from a very long
way off.
‘ What is your will ? ’ it asked ; and Ciccu replied that
he had been commanded to bring back the ring that the
princess had flung away, as she rode past.
‘ A fish is playing with it just now,’ replied the voice ;
‘ however, you shall have it without delay.’
And sure enough, very soon a little fish was seen rising
to the surface with the lost ring hi his mouth. And Ciccu
knew him to be the fish that he had saved from death,
and he took the ring and rode back with it to the king.
‘ That is not enough,’ exclaimed the princess when she
saw the ring ; ‘ before we can be man and wife, the oven
must be heated for three days and three nights, and Ciccu
must jump in.’ And the king forgot how Ciccu had
served him, and desired him to do as the princess had
said.
This time Ciccu felt that no escape was possible, and
he went to the horse and laid his hand on his neck.
‘ Now it is indeed good-bye, and there is no help to be
got even from you,’ and he told him what fate awaited
him.
But the horse said, ‘ Oh, never lose heart, but jump
THE STOBY OF CICCU
356
on my back, and make me go till the foam dies in flecks
all about me. Then get down, and scrape ofl the foam
with a knife. This you must rub all over you, and when
you are quite covered, you may suffer yourself to be cast
into the oven, for the fire will not hurt you, nor anything
else.’ And Ciccu did exactly as the horse bade him, and
went back to the king, and before the eyes of the fairest
in the world he sprang into the oven.
And when the fairest in the world saw what he had
done, love entered into her heart, and she said to the
king, ‘ One thing more : before I can be your wife, you
must jump into the oven as Ciccu has done.’
* Willingly,’ replied the king, stooping over the oven.
But on the brink he paused a moment and called to
Ciccu, ‘ Tell me, Ciccu, how did you manage to prevent
the fire burning you ? ’
Now Ciccu could not forgive his master, whom he
had served so faithfully, for sending him to his death
without a thought, so he answered, ^ I rubbed myself over
with fat, and I am not even singed.’
When he heard these words, the king, whose head was
full of the princess, never stopped to inquire if they could
be true, and smeared himself over with fat, and sprang
into the oven. And in a moment the fire caught him, and
he was burned up.
Then the fairest in the world held out her hand to
Ciccu and smiled, saying, ' Now we wiU be man and wife.’
So Ciccu married the fairest in the world, and became
king of the country.
DON GIOVANNI DE LA FOBTUNA ^
Theke was once a man wlioso name was Don Giovanni
de la Eortuna, and he lived in a beautiful house that his
father had built, and spent a great deal of money.
Indeed, he spent so much that very soon there was
none left, and Don Giovanni, instead of being a rich man
with everything he could wish for, was forced to put on
the dress of a pilgrim, and to wander from place to place
begging his bread.
One day he was walking down a broad road when he
was stopped by a handsome man he had never seen
before, who, little as Don Giovanni knew it, was the devil
himself.
‘ Would you like to be rich,' asked the devil, * and to
lead a pleasant life ? '
‘ Tes, of course I should,' replied the Don.
‘ Well, here is a purse ; take it and say to it, Dear
purse, give me some money," and you will get as much
as you can want. But the charm will only work if you
promise to remain three years, throe months, and three
days without washing and without combing and with-
out shaving your beard or changing your clothes. If you
do all this faithfully, when the time is up you shall keep
the purse for yourself, and I will let you off any other
conditions.'
Now Don Giovanni was a man whenever troubled his
head about the future. He did not once think how very
* Sicilianische M^ihrchen.
DON GIOVANNI DE LA FORTUNA 357
uucomfortable he should be all those three years, but only
that he should be able, by means of the purse, to have all
sorts of things he had been obliged to do without ; so he
joyfully put the purse in his pocket and went on his
way. He soon began to ask for money for the mere
pleasure of it, and there was always as much as he
needed. For a little while he even forgot to notice how
dirty he was getting, but this did not last long, for his
hair became matted with dirt and hung over his eyes,
and his pilgrim’s dress was a mass of horrible rags and
tatters.
He was in this state when, one morning, he happened
to be passing a fine palace ; and, as the sun was sHning
bright and warm, he sat down on the steps and tried to
shake oflf some of the dust which he had picked up on
the road. But in a few minutes a maid saw him, and
said to her master, ‘ I pray you, sir, to drive away that
beggar who is sitting on the steps, or he will fill the whole
house with his dirt.’ •
So the naster went out and called from some distance
off, for he was really afraid to go near the man, ^ You
filthy beggar, leave my house at once ! *
* You need not be so rude,’ said Don Giovanni ; ‘ I am
not a beggar, and if I chose I could force you and your
wife to leave your house/
‘ "What is that you can do ? ’ laughed the gentleman.
* Will you sell me your house? ’ asked Don Giovanni.
' I will buy it from you on the spot.’
‘Oh, the dirty creature is quite mad!’ thought the
gentleman. ‘ I shall just accept his offer for a joke.’ And
aloud he said : ‘ AU right ; follow me, and we will go to a
la^ yer and get him to make a contract.’ And Don
Giovanni followed him, and an agreement was drawn up
by which the house was to be sold at once, and a large
sum of money paid down in eight days. Then the Don
went to an inn, where he hired two rooms, and, standing
in one of them, said to his purse, ‘ Dear purse, fill this
358 DON GIOVANNI DE LA FOBTUNA
room with gold ; ’ and when the eight days were up it was
so full you could not have put in another sovereign.
When the owner of the house came to take away his
money Don Giovanni led him into the room and said:
'There, just pocket what you want.’ The gentleman
stared with open mouth at ihe astonishing sight ; but he
had given his word to sell the house, so he took his
money, as he was told, and went away with his wife to
look for some place to live in. And Don Giovanni left
the inn and dwelt in the beautiful rooms, where his rags
and dirt looked sadly out of place. And every day these
got worse and worse.
By-and-bye the fame of his riches reached the ears of
the king, and, as ho himself was always in need of money,
he sent for Don Giovanni, as ho wdshed to borrow a large
sum. Don Giovanni readily agreed to lend him what he
wanted, and sent next day a huge waggon laden with
sacks of gold.
‘ Who can ho be ? ’ thought the king to himself. 'Why,
he is much richer than I T
The king took as much as ho had need of ; then ordered
the rest to bo returned to Don Giovanni, who refused to
receive it, saying, ' Toll his majesty I am much hurt at
his proposal, I shall certainly not take back that handful
of gold, and, if he decliuos to accept it, keep it yourself/
The servant departed and delivered the message, and
the king wondered more than over how anyone could be
so rich. At last he spoke to the queen: 'Dear wife,
this man has done me a great service, and has, besides,
behaved like a gentleman in not allowing mo to send
back the money. I wish to give him the hand of our
eldest daughter.’
The queen was quite pleased at this idea, and again
a messenger was sent to Don Giovanni, ojBfering him the
hand of the eldest princess.
' His majesty is too good,’ he replied. ' I can only
humbly accept the honour.’
DON GIOVANNI DE LA FOBTUNA 359
The messenger took back this answer, but a second
time returned with the request that Don Giovanni would
present them with his picture, so that they might know
what sort of a person to expect. But when it came, and
the princess saw the horrible figure, she screamed out,
‘ What ! marry this dirty beggar ? Never, never ! ’
‘ Ah, child,’ answered the king, ‘ how could I ever
guess that the rich Don Giovanni would ever look like
that ? But I have passed my royal word, and I cannot
break it, so there is no help for you.’
‘ No, father ; you may cut off my head, if you choose,
but marry that horrible beggar — I never will ! ’
And the queen took her part, and reproached her
husband bitterly for wishing his daughter to marry a
creature like that.
Then the youngest daughter spoke : ‘ Dear father, do
not look so sad. As you have given your word, I will
marry Don Giovanni.’ The king fell on her neck, and
thanked her and kissed her, but the queen and the elder
girl had nothing for her but laughs and jeers.
So it was settled, and then the king bade one of his
lords go to Don Giovknni and ask him when the wedding
day was to be, so that the princess might make ready.
* Let it be in two months,’ answered Don Giovanni, for
the time was nearly up that the devil had fixed, and he
wanted a whole month to himself to wash off the dirt of
the past three years.
The very minute that the compact with the devil had
come to an end his beard was shaved, his hair was cut,
and his rags were burned, and day and night he lay in a
bath of clear warm water. At length he felt he was
clean again, and he put on splendid clothes, and hired a
beautiful ship, and arrived in state at the king’s palace.
The whole of the royal family came down to the ship
to receive him, and the whole way the queen and the
elder princess teased the sister about the dirty husband
she was going to have. But when they saw how
360 BON GIOVANNI BE LA FOBTUNA
handsome he really was their liearts were filled with
envy and anger, so that their eyes were blinded, and
they fell over into the sea and were drowned. And the
youngest daughter rejoiced in the good luck that had
come to her, and they had a splendid wedding when the
days of mourning for her mother and sister were ended.
Soon after the old king died, and Don Giovanni
became king. And he w'as xici3.gmd happy to the end of
his days, for he loved hj^r^fMn^s purse always gave
him money
Printed at The Darien Press,
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11